Mamaearth's Ghazal Alagh offers a tip for building 'a solid business': 'Don't give your 100% every day'

Mamaearth co-founders Varun and Ghazal Alagh with their team. (Image credit: Ghazal Alagh/X)

Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh has recently shared a tip for entrepreneurs looking to build "a solid business". In social media posts on LinkedIn and X, she encouraged entrepreneurs to not put their 100 percent into work every day.

"Over the years, working around the clock, I have realised that constantly pushing for a perfect 100 percent can actually backfire. Instead, one should learn focused effort and strategic prioritising. I call it the 85 percent rule," she wrote. "Think about your favorite athletes. They train hard, no doubt, but they also know when to rest and recover. That downtime is just as important for them to be able to give their absolute best when it really counts."

Alagh said that she always follows the "85 percent rule" with a focus on strategic priorities, not constant perfection.

She added that the mindset is crucial for running a business as building a startup is a long journey, not a sprint. She also highlighted that trying to go all-out every single day isn't a sustainable practice. "By aiming for a solid 80-85 percent effort daily, we can really focus on the important stuff, pay attention to the little things that matter, and ultimately get more done without burning out," she wrote on LinkedIn. "It's about working hard and being smart about it, so one can have the energy and focus left for those crucial moments when there’s need to give a 100 percent."

The Mamaearth co-founder's take on productivity appeared to resonate with several business owners.

"This is such a refreshing take! Giving 100 percent every single day isn’t just exhausting, it’s counterproductive. This 85 percent rule makes so much sense. Work smart, stay consistent, and save that extra push for when it really matters. Definitely trying this!" commented Anooshka Soham Bathwal, co-founder and CEO of Dhanvesttor.

"The 80-20 rule is golden at my company. And ensuring that your colleagues & employees abide by the same rule is crucial too for their creativity to be at optimum," wrote Pulkit Jain, co-founder of 6Months, a media and growth solutions company.