How did fintech leaders relax this summer?

Want to try something different to de-stress? AltFi spoke with several industry leaders about how they wound up this summer.

Image source: Rivo Uibo, Tuum

Stress, if nothing else, seems to be a constant in the fintech world, making self-care a must and occasional burnouts the norm.

But with the holiday season largely over until December, many of us are only able to think about and plan for the next vacation as the work piles up.

We spoke to some of the biggest players in fintech about how they de-stressed this summer without leaving the country – and how you can too.

Living in the moment with motocross

Rivo Uibo, co-founder and chief business officer of Estonian core bank fintech Tuum, feels the strain of the pressure of multitasking, admitting he feels “like an octopus sometimes”.

Uibo believes Motocross – or off-road motorcycle racing – is the only activity that can take his mind completely away from work because “it’s simply not possible to think about anything other than racing at that very moment”.

Riding a motorcycle, handling all the jumps, curves, deep rails and the distance to other riders requires “100% commitment” according to Uibo.

“My mind can’t wander to work-related topics, not even for a millisecond, so it really gives me pause,” he said.

However, motocross can be an expensive hobby, especially for those of us who don’t come after a 15 million euro funding round, something Uibo would be the first to admit.

“I think it’s overlooked as a sport because it’s not as easy to do as going to the gym or jogging (which I also do occasionally),” he said.

Uibo notes that in addition to acquiring the equipment, you also need to take the time to drive to the off-road course somewhere outside the city.

Potential motocross newcomers also have to deal with “the not-so-glamorous parts” of the sport, like regular oil changes and getting mud off the bike and clothes after every ride.

Self-awareness with bird watching

If you don’t need the threat of certain or serious injury to take your mind off your workload, a lower cost (and potentially much safer way) to destress is bird watching, even if it doesn’t pump up your adrenals to quite the same degree.

Stress seems to be quite a common denominator among fintech brass, but self-care isn’t “all about hot tubs and meditation”, according to Justina Tartilaite founder and CEO of tax credit specialist Adsum, who believes bird watching could be just the ticket for those looking for a alternative way to stress

Bird watching “can help reduce stress levels by forcing you to slow down and concentrate, and spending more time on your own in a quiet environment can help you do some introspection,” according to Tartilaite.

The founder believes the level of introspection that bird watching enables can provide an almost meditative experience.

“Birding experiences are an excellent inspiration for practicing mindfulness,” said Tartilaite. “Use each session to pay attention to your breath and the sensations you feel in your body.”

“It will vary from calm and quiet to surging excitement when you see a bird.”

Tartilaite believes this practice can be “good therapy” to gain some control over your strong emotions.

Giving up control of riding

Delegating and relinquishing responsibilities to another party can be a huge stressor when traveling on vacation, especially when you’re used to being a micro-boss or alpha-boss.

Samantha Seaton, CEO of Moneyhub, believes horse riding could be just the ticket to learn to let go of anal retentive tendencies.

“With a horse, you’re always in a position of submission,” Seaton said. “You ask, don’t tell.”

“A horse weighs in at 600kg of sheer strength and is built to cover ground at unprecedented speeds, a quarter of a mile in 21 seconds.”

“You’re with the horse but you’re never in control and I think it’s really good for someone to be in that position,” she added.

This obviously lopsided power imbalance can also help you learn the value of teamwork, according to the manager.

“The horse is in the driver’s seat”, she said. “You have to trust your horse to look out for you, do what you think is coming next, and when things don’t go according to plan you two can work around it to get a good result”.

Like motocross, racing can be an expensive hobby, and Seaton admits it’s “a big commitment in terms of the time and space they need”.

Seaton pointed to schemes that allow people to reduce some of these upfront costs by sharing horses.

“It doesn’t have to cost more than a lot of other hobbies,” she added.

Vacation, forget it!

Farbod Sadeghian, founder of Dubai-based blockchain companies artèQ and Qlindo, takes a tougher stance on letting go of himself.

In fact, in Sadeghian’s eyes, if having a lot of me time is your absolute top priority, you might be better off looking for another line of work.

“I rarely have free time to do my own thing, and because of this, I wouldn’t recommend my lifestyle as a fintech entrepreneur to anyone,” he said.

“What most people overlook is that fintech entrepreneurs don’t have holidays. There just isn’t enough time to grow a company and take a vacation. Your business becomes your life.

Sadeghian can’t get away from the fact that if his business fails, his employees’ livelihoods are at risk, saying that “going on holiday is not my priority – my employees are”.

So regardless of your approach to relaxation (or your decision not to), it might be a good idea to take some time off for self-care.

A survey by BIMA from 2019 found that of all respondents in the technology industry, 52 percent have suffered from anxiety or depression at some point. A figure that is at least five times the national average and on par with NHS workers.