 Working Hours of Actual Startups?
nostrademons: Very variable, depending upon the startup.  I've been at one startup where the engineering staff basically lived at the office and slept under their desk.  I've also been at one where basically everyone worked fairly standard 8-9 hour days, no weekends.  The second was more successful than the first, though neither were huge hits.What seems to work for me: I usually have about 3 periods of useful productivity a day.  10 AM to about 1 PM is when I get anything that needs intense concentration done, then I've got 2 other productive blocks, roughly from 4 PM to 6:30 PM and 11 PM to 1 AM.  I'm pretty much useless after lunch, and by early evening I can't really concentrate.  I've found myself falling into this pattern at many different employers, plus when self-employed - the difference is that all 3 blocks were devoted to my startup then, while now the 2 daytime blocks are devoted to my employer and the nighttime one is for side projects (or occasionally 20% stuff).I do agree that the decisions you make are more important than the hours you work.  You should work as hard as you can to still make good decisions, but no harder.  The cost of one poor judgment call made when you're fatigued and worn out can easily undo a year of solid effort.