Bengaluru entrepreneur Sivaram Briyas says spending four months in an ICU completely changed his view of work and rest. MillD co-founder, who once treated Sundays like workdays, now believes recovery is essential for better decisions and long-term success. His LinkedIn post has resonated with many professionals discussing burnout, work-life balance
A Bengaluru entrepreneur has opened up about how spending four months in an intensive care unit completely changed the way he thinks about work, rest and the pressure of running a business. Sivaram Briyas, co-founder of MillD and founder of Briyas, shared the experience in a LinkedIn post, saying he once believed successful entrepreneurs should always be available. His message has struck a chord with many professionals discussing burnout and work-life balance.
Sundays were once just another workday
Briyas said Sundays used to feel like nothing more than a slower version of Monday. He would answer calls, visit his factory and often stay for hours after telling his family he would only be gone briefly.
“For most of my career, Sunday was just a slower Monday,” he wrote.
He admitted that he even took pride in always being reachable, believing that taking a proper day off was not something entrepreneurs did.
The ICU changed his perspective
That mindset shifted after he spent four months in an ICU.
Reflecting on that period, Briyas said he received “all my off days at once”, forcing him to rethink the way he had lived and worked.
During his recovery, doctors explained that the body does not become stronger while it is under strain. Instead, healing happens during the rest that follows.
“The surgery is the damage. The healing happens in between, in the sleeping, the eating, the waiting,” he wrote.
A lesson he applied to business
Briyas said the medical advice made him realise he had never applied the same principle to business, despite spending decades in the food industry.
He now believes some of the best business ideas appear away from meeting rooms and spreadsheets.
According to him, a walk after a meeting can create clearer thinking, while watching family members during Sunday lunch can offer valuable insights into how customers actually eat.
“The greatest leaps need spaces,” he wrote.
Working harder with more purpose
Although his attitude towards rest has changed, Briyas said he has not become less committed to his work. Instead, he believes he now works with greater purpose and intention, making better use of his time rather than simply staying busy.
He also said he now protects his Sundays whenever possible, treating rest as an important part of doing meaningful work rather than a reward earned after success.
While urgent situations still arise occasionally, he said they are no longer part of his regular routine.
His story has become another reminder in the growing conversation around burnout, showing how a life-changing health experience can reshape priorities both at work and at home.