I always worked through summer — until I became a Dad

Historically, my August has been all about Q3 check-ins and a slow flow in the inbox.  It’s also been a chance to catch up with any remaining work or plan ahead. This year, though, marks a change. It’s my first summer as a new Dad.

Like many founders, I’ve always struggled with the idea of switching off. Holidays just meant a shift to a different time zone and slightly sandier Slack messages. The guilt of going offline was too intense and seemed unbecoming of a founder.

Now, with a baby at home, the stakes have considerably risen. Our daughter has just begun to familiarise herself with the surroundings, a stage I don’t want to miss. But the company stops for no-one. There has to be someone steering it in the right direction, and managing deadlines, campaigns, and Product expectations.

I have just stepped into the shoes of a working parent, and I have forced myself to be in both worlds at the same time: replying to emails with one hand while holding a milk bottle in the other. I want to show up for my team, investors, and family. On some days, it works. On others, I fall short on both ends.

And that’s precisely the lesson that August is teaching me: presence doesn’t have to mean perfection. It means being intentional. It’s not about the number of hours I devote to work and home, but about making them count.

I don’t intend to take a full sabbatical this summer, but I am creating something more valuable: space. Space to take long walks, and to lose myself in podcasts that have nothing to do with metrics or growth targets. To be the Dad who doesn’t just arrive for bedtime, but who is present for it all — the chaos of bath time, the negotiations over afternoon snacks, and the spontaneous silly face contests.

One thing I am ardently working on? To ignore the phone, no matter how much it buzzes, when I’m with my daughter.

I won’t be fully offline; My laptop will still open, and I’ll still respond to emails. What’s different is that I am practicing a different approach to work, where I consciously choose to be fully present wherever I am. Maybe that’s what rest actually looks like.

About Varun Bhanot

Varun Bhanot is Co-founder and CEO of MAGIC AI, the cutting-edge AI mirror that makes high-quality fitness coaching more accessible. Under his leadership, MAGIC AI has raised $5 million in venture funding and earned multiple industry accolades — including being named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024. As a new father as well as founder, Varun shares candid insights on balancing parenting and entrepreneurship in his bi-monthly guest column, Startup Daddy.

Learn more about MAGIC AI