How did Basecamp foster a calm and productive work culture while rejecting the chaos of the entrepreneurial world? Curious about how they've replaced hustle with sustainable growth and fair practices? Intrigued by their unique approach to protecting employee time and focusing on quality over quantity? Dive in to discover how this company is redefining the norms and making work a fulfilling experience rather than a draining grind.

It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work

How often have you heard someone say, "It's crazy at work"? Perhaps you've even said it yourself. For many individuals, this chaos has become the standard. But why? The workday is fragmented by ceaseless physical and virtual distractions, with an unhealthy obsession with growth at any cost. Individuals work longer hours, frequently sacrificing personal time, yet accomplish less. Extended hours and constant busyness have become misguided badges of honor, leading to burnout for employees, contractors, and solopreneurs alike.

Despite technology's promises to lighten the load, work has only become more burdensome. The problem lies in the absence of uninterrupted, dedicated time to concentrate. Most of those 60, 70, or even 80-hour workweeks are squandered on pointless meetings, distractions, and inefficient practices. The solution isn't more hours; it's less nonsense. Stress from work overflows into personal lives, affecting relationships and overall well-being.

At Basecamp, they've chosen an alternative route. For nearly two decades, they've concentrated on building a tranquil company. They refuse the frenzy of endless growth and unrealistic expectations. Instead, they prioritize uninterrupted time, sensible work hours, and sustainable practices. Their 54-person team, dispersed across 30 cities, works around 40 hours a week, less in the summer. They offer month-long sabbaticals every three years and even cover vacation costs. Stressful moments are scarce exceptions, not the rule.

They believe in treating their company as a product, continuously refining and improving it. They operate on six-week project cycles followed by two weeks to decompress. This approach wasn't theoretical; they iterated their way here, discovering what works best for them. They've moved away from real-time communication tools that only added distractions, opting for asynchronous methods instead. Their benefits evolved through experience, and they've redefined salary negotiations to reduce stress.

Running a calm company isn't the default these days, but it's achievable. By treating a company as a product and focusing on sustainable, thoughtful practices, one can create a healthier work environment. Calm is attainable, and they're here to share how they achieved it. Whether one owns, manages, or works at a company, it requires everyone's effort to make it better. So, enough with the chaos—embrace calm.

Is Embracing Calm the Secret to Basecamp's Sustainable Success?

The "hustle" culture has taken over the entrepreneurial world, bombarding us with quotes like “Legends are born in a valley of struggle!” But let's be real: the constant grind often leads to burnout, not brilliance. 

Creativity and breakthroughs rarely come from working the 14th hour of the day. For most entrepreneurs, success is more about consistency—laying bricks, applying paint—than some epic tale of survival. So, give yourself permission to balance work with life. Play with your kids, take up a hobby, go for a long walk. You don’t need to sacrifice everything to be successful.

The business world loves war metaphors—conquering markets, capturing customers, waging battles. But at Basecamp, they reject this. They don’t care about market share; they care about having a healthy business with happy customers and employees. Mark Twain said it best: “Comparison is the death of joy.” They don’t compare themselves with others. Instead, they focus on doing the best work, free from the stress of arbitrary goals and cutthroat competition. 

At Basecamp, they don’t set specific goals. No sales targets, no revenue goals—just a commitment to doing the best work they can. They once tried setting a big revenue goal, but it felt disingenuous and led them to make compromises they weren’t comfortable with. Goals can create unnecessary stress and lead companies to compromise their values. Instead, they focus on staying in business, serving their customers well, and being a great place to work.

Ambition hyperinflation has led everyone to believe they must change the world. But Basecamp isn’t about disruption. They make it easier for companies to communicate and collaborate, and that’s enough. Forget about 9 p.m. meetings or weekend sprints; good work will still be there tomorrow. Focus on doing good, fair work, and leave a lasting impression without the burden of grandiose claims.

They don’t do long-term plans at Basecamp. No five-year plans, no one-year plans—just short-term planning every six weeks. This allows them to change their minds often and reduces stress. Long-term planning can create a false sense of security and lead to sticking with bad ideas. By focusing on the short term, they make better decisions based on current information.

The idea that you must constantly push out of your comfort zone is flawed. Discomfort often signals a bad situation. At Basecamp, they believe in diving deeper into what feels right. Listening to discomfort led them to reform their pay structure and maintain their independence from venture capital. Being comfortable in your zone is essential to maintaining calm and making the right decisions.

So, forget the hustle, the battles, and the grand plans. Focus on doing good work, being fair, and staying comfortable. The rest will take care of itself.

Redefining Success: Basecamp's Stand Against Hustle Culture and War Metaphors in Business

At Basecamp, they believe in the power of the 40-hour workweek to get meaningful work done. Their philosophy is simple: 8 hours a day is enough if you eliminate distractions and protect your time. During the summer, they even reduce the week to 32 hours by taking Fridays off, proving that less can be more.

Consider your workday as a continuous flight from Chicago to London—uninterrupted and productive. Yet, most office hours are chopped into fragments by meetings and calls, leaving little time for actual work. They prioritize quality time over fractured hours.

They protect their employees' time like a precious resource. Instead of time-consuming status meetings, they use written updates. This shift saves hours and allows for uninterrupted work time.

Quality over quantity defines their approach. A solid hour of focused work beats a scattered hour of distractions. They advocate for effectiveness over productivity. Being busy isn’t the goal; achieving meaningful outcomes is.

The myth of outworking everyone else? It’s just that—a myth. Success stems from talent, luck, and being in the right place at the right time, not from excessive hours.

Ironically, work doesn’t always happen at work. Offices are often interruption factories. People get more done on planes, trains, or in quiet spaces away from the hustle and bustle.

To combat constant interruptions, they introduced 'office hours' for experts at Basecamp. They set specific times to address questions, preserving their own work time.

They also reject the shared calendar chaos, where anyone can book your time. At Basecamp, scheduling requires a direct negotiation, ensuring that meetings are truly necessary.

Presence shouldn’t be about being constantly available. They don’t track their employees' whereabouts; they trust them to manage their time effectively. Instant responses aren’t required for non-urgent matters. They cultivate a culture of eventual response, allowing for deep, uninterrupted work.

Lastly, they embrace JOMO—Joy of Missing Out. They encourage their team to turn off the information firehose and focus. Monthly summaries, or “Heartbeats,” keep everyone informed without drowning in details.

In essence, their approach to work is about protecting time, eliminating unnecessary distractions, and fostering a culture of focus and effectiveness.

Can a 40-Hour Workweek Revolutionize Productivity? How Does Basecamp Prove It?

At Basecamp, they’re not a family—they’re coworkers. They care about each other and strive to create great products, but they’re not taking bullets for their work. Beware when companies declare themselves as “families”; it’s often a ploy to demand unidirectional sacrifice from you. True support comes from principles and actions, not hollow declarations. These are some of the top principles at Basecamp:

1. If you’re a leader, remember: your behavior sets the tone. If you work excessive hours, your team will feel pressured to do the same. Instead, model balance and reasonable work habits.

2. Tobias Lütke of Shopify coined the term "trust battery" to describe work relationships. At Basecamp, they use this concept to understand and improve interpersonal dynamics. Trust accumulates or depletes based on interactions, and acknowledging this helps them handle conflicts better.

3. An open-door policy isn’t enough. Leaders must actively seek honest feedback by asking tough, specific questions. This builds a culture of trust and openness.

4. Sleep isn’t for the weak; it’s essential. Sleep deprivation makes you less intelligent, creative, and patient. Encourage a culture that prioritizes rest.

5. Work-life balance often tips in favor of work. True balance means respecting personal time and offering flexibility for life’s demands. For instance, at Basecamp, weekends are off-limits for work, and they trust employees to manage their own time responsibly.

6. Hiring should focus on the person and their work, not just their résumé. They look for diverse, interesting candidates and evaluate them through real projects, not abstract tests.

7. The myth of “low-hanging fruit” is often a trap. Tasks that seem easy from a distance usually require significant effort. Don’t set unrealistic expectations, especially for new hires. Don’t expect new hires to "hit the ground running." Each organization is different, and even experienced hires need time to adapt. Set reasonable expectations and allow for a learning curve.

8. Forget the talent war; nurture it instead. They’ve found talent in unexpected places and focus on creating a supportive environment where people can grow.

9. They don’t negotiate salaries. Everyone in the same role at the same level is paid equally, based on top market rates, ensuring fairness and transparency.

10. Their benefits encourage life outside work. From fully paid vacations to continuing education stipends, they prioritize their employees' well-being without trapping them in the office.

11. Open-plan offices can be distracting. At Basecamp, they follow "Library Rules" to maintain a quiet, respectful environment conducive to focused work.

12. Vacations should be real. They encourage employees to fully disconnect. Fakecations, where you’re still reachable, defeat the purpose of rest.

13. When someone leaves Basecamp, they communicate openly with the team about why. This transparency prevents rumors and maintains trust.

In essence, creating a healthy work culture involves honest communication, respect for personal time, and leading by example. At Basecamp, they strive to support their employees in being their best selves both at work and in life.

Reimagining Workplace Culture: Lessons from Basecamp's Success Story

Following group chat at work can feel like being in an all-day meeting with no agenda—it’s exhausting and often inefficient. While chat can be useful in emergencies or for quick social interactions, its overuse leads to stress and miscommunication. Important discussions should be written up and given a permanent place rather than getting lost in endless chat streams. 

At Basecamp, they manage deadlines by keeping them fixed and fair while allowing the scope to be flexible. This avoids the chaos of expanding projects and ensures that teams can work calmly and efficiently. They also avoid knee-jerk reactions by presenting ideas in written form, allowing for thoughtful consideration rather than immediate, often unproductive, feedback.

Releasing new software on Fridays used to ruin weekends, so they now release on Mondays. This reduces stress and encourages better preparation. Recognizing and correcting bad habits early is crucial to maintaining a healthy work culture. For instance, they discourage dependency between teams and focus on independent progress, which speeds up delivery and reduces frustration.

They practice "disagree and commit" to avoid the pitfalls of seeking consensus for every decision. This approach involves listening to everyone but allowing one person to make the final call, fostering commitment over complete agreement.

Quality is important, but knowing when "good enough" is actually sufficient helps maintain calm. This means focusing on what truly matters and not striving for perfection in every detail. Similarly, narrowing focus as a project progresses helps avoid endless exploration and ensures timely completion.

Sometimes, doing nothing is the best option. For example, instead of forcing all clients to switch to a new system, they allowed them to choose, saving time and reducing stress.

Embracing "enough" helps maintain calm. They learned this the hard way when striving for two-minute response times to customer emails led to unnecessary stress. Pulling back to a more sustainable response time was still impressive to customers and much healthier for their team.

Best practices are often overrated. What works for one company might not work for another. They create their practices based on what suits them best. The mantra "whatever it takes" is dangerous; instead, they ask "what will it take?" to invite strategic discussions and avoid burnout.

Finally, saying "no" is crucial. It frees up time and keeps them focused. While saying "yes" is easy, it often leads to overcommitment and stress. Being deliberate with their "no’s" helps maintain a calm, productive work environment.

Is Overuse of Group Chat Killing Your Productivity? Lessons from Basecamp's Innovative Work Culture

Entrepreneurs often chase high-stakes risks for the thrill, but at Basecamp, they've taken a different path. They recently tripled their entry price from $29 to $99 per month without prior testing or surveys. Despite the appearance of risk, they had a safety net: a loyal customer base of over 100,000. This calculated risk paid off, proving that bold moves don't have to endanger the company. 

Seasonal change is another way they keep things fresh. From May to September, they work four-day weeks, focusing on simpler projects. In winter, they tackle bigger challenges. These practices keep monotony at bay and emphasize the natural rhythm of change. Here are some of the success principles from Basecamp:

1. Profitability is key at Basecamp. They've been in the black since 1999 by keeping costs in check and avoiding the red. Profit allows them to think, explore, and control their destiny. Without it, companies face constant pressure, burning both money and employee morale.

2. They also avoid the pitfalls of the per-seat pricing model. Instead of chasing massive accounts that could dominate their focus, they charge a flat $99 per month. This ensures their product development remains balanced and independent, serving a broad base rather than a few big players.

3. Shipping products without endless pre-launch testing is another core philosophy. Only the real market can provide true feedback. They believe in launching and learning, iterating based on real customer use rather than hypothetical scenarios.

4. Promises about future features can lead to rushed, subpar work. They've learned to avoid making such commitments, focusing on delivering the best product they can today. This approach keeps them nimble and honest with their customers.

5. Copycats are a fact of life. While it's frustrating to see their ideas cloned, they've learned to move on. Competitors can mimic their products, but they can't replicate their ongoing innovation and thought process.

6. Change is inevitable, but forced change breeds resentment. They let customers stick with older versions of Basecamp if they prefer, respecting their comfort and familiarity. This approach maintains peace and loyalty.

7. Lastly, they focus on sustainable growth. By scaling back even in good times, they've maintained a manageable size, healthy profits, and a fulfilling work environment. This intentional approach keeps them close to the "good old days."

In every decision, they choose calm over chaos. Protecting time, managing growth, and fostering a positive work culture are daily choices that contribute to a stable, successful business. Choose calm—it's a decision worth making.

Choosing Calm Over Chaos: The Success Mantra at Basecamp

Chaos and busyness often associated with modern work culture are not just unnecessary, but counterproductive. The relentless pursuit of growth and long hours leads to burnout and inefficiency. Surprisingly, technology has exacerbated this issue by creating more distractions rather than simplifying work.

Calm and productivity thrive on uninterrupted, focused time. Endless meetings and constant communication interruptions undermine meaningful work. A reasonable workweek, like the 40 hours advocated by Basecamp, with even fewer hours in the summer, can yield better results than the grueling 60-80 hour weeks.

Treating a company like a product means continually refining practices for efficiency and well-being. This involves rejecting real-time communication tools that distract and adopting asynchronous methods. A culture that avoids arbitrary goals and instead focuses on quality work fosters a healthier, happier environment.

Contrary to the "hustle" culture, success does not come from relentless grinding but from consistent, thoughtful effort. Prioritizing personal time and avoiding war-like business metaphors can also lead to a more balanced and fulfilling work life.

Flexibility in planning, like Basecamp's six-week cycles, allows for adaptability and reduces the stress associated with rigid long-term plans. It's essential to listen to discomfort and make adjustments rather than pushing through it blindly.

The myth of outworking everyone else is just that—a myth. Talent, luck, and timing play significant roles in success, and excessive hours often do more harm than good. Creating a work environment where employees can focus without constant interruptions is key.

Leading by example is crucial; excessive hours from leaders set unhealthy precedents. Building trust through honest feedback and understanding the weight of owners' words can improve team dynamics.

Hiring should focus on the person and their potential, not just their resume. Offering fair, transparent salaries and benefits that support life outside work can enhance employee satisfaction and retention.

Open-plan offices and constant connectivity often hinder productivity. Encouraging real vacations and maintaining transparency about departures can foster trust and a healthier work culture.

In essence, creating a calm company involves protecting time, eliminating distractions, and fostering a culture of focus and fairness. Embracing calculated risks, seasonal changes, and sustainable growth can lead to a stable, successful business. Choosing calm over chaos is a decision that benefits both the company and its employees.

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It Doesn't Have to Be Crazy at Work

Jason Fried

7 Key ideas

19 MINS

4.6 (1.4k)

How did Basecamp foster a calm and productive work culture while rejecting the chaos of the entrepreneurial world?

Curious about how they've replaced hustle with sustainable growth and fair practices?

Intrigued by their unique approach to protecting employee time and focusing on quality over quantity?

Dive in to discover how this company is redefining the norms and making work a fulfilling experience rather than a draining grind.