Balancing Down Time With Go Time

Shanif Dhanani
Aug 22, 2017 · 2 min read

I’ve been working on using ML for investing for some time now. My original plan, one that I made maybe a year or two ago, was that after I left my job at big-fat-slow-corporation, I’d take some down time to travel the world, something I’ve always wanted to do. I had dreams of backpacking across central Asia and Europe, meeting people randomly in hostels, going on various last minute excursions. Being in my 30s, and hoping to go full time on startups, I figured this was the last real opportunity I had to do that.

I do think down time is important. When I’ve had to slog it through big companies, I always found myself rejuvenated after a three day weekend, and after a longer vacation, I was always geared up to go. Having a bit of a break between two big gigs is a great way to get my head in the game again.

But my work in the ML/investment space has gained more traction than I’d imagined. I’m working with a small but solid team, one in which I need to be around in order for things to get done.

So my plans for bumming it around the world are now bumping up against my plans to build something that I’d be proud to call my own.

I’ve never been one to settle, and I believe that you can get a lot of what you want if you work for it. So I’m now trying to figure out a schedule where I can get a bit of travel done without neglecting or hindering the progress that the team is making.

I have a few solid ideas in my head about how to make it happen, one which, if everything works out, I’ll be happy to announce later this winter.

Until then, I think the backpacking is going to have to take a backseat to smaller, shorter trips that are a bit more planned and a bit less sporadic. I’m okay with that. If what I’m working on now starts to be fruitful, there will hopefully be a lot more time to bum it around the world when it’s all done.

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Co-founder & CEO of Apteo. We’re a fintech startup that’s building a data science platform for everyone. Sign up free at www.apteo.co.

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