What is hustle culture?
Hustle is something that has become such a buzz word.
"Hustle harder."
"Push more."
"If you have time to lean, you have time to clean."
This feeling of always needing to be productive, to be doing something.
If the to do list is long and being worked on, then we have something to be proud of.
Almost to be validated by what we are always doing.
Being "busy" is trendy, it's sexy, and it's the standard.
Why is it a bad word?
I've been getting sick quite a bit over the last year. If you've been here for a bit, you know this. And there have been so many days that I feel so guilty for sleeping in, taking a nap, or letting chores sit for longer than I feel necessary. Some days, I would force myself to get several tasks done before I let myself rest. I felt I had to earn the rest.
Here's the thing - rest does not need to be earned. It is a human necessity. It is part of that full-self care we have talked about. We literally cannot function without rest. We need water. We need food. We need human interaction. We need affection. And we need rest.
Hustle is a bad word because it contributes to the mindset of earned rest rather than necessitated rest.
Validation is not found in the work we achieve or how busy we are.
How to recognize the hustle cycle
When you get up in the morning, what are the first thoughts that come to your mind?
Is it your to do list? Checking your phone?
Answering emails or social media notifications?
Or is it being quiet in the moment and focusing on being present?
This looks different for everyone, which is why we have been talking about the Finding and Cultivating Rest journal - finding that rest for yourself and what that looks like for you. And why we are going to move from this to talking more fully about the Full-Self Care.
Hustle leads to overwhelm, stress, and anxiety.
How are you feeling at the end of the day? Do you reference your list to see how much you completed before you mark the day "successful" or not?
These are a few clues that you may have fallen into the hustle culture trap. Don't worry - I've been there too. After all, it's the popular thing to do, right?
We can't fix it until we recognize it - and what areas we are hanging onto the hustle.
Is it just in relation to our jobs and businesses? Or has it turned to our relationships, chores around the house, or other obligations - whether actual or imagined.
Yes, sometimes we put tasks and responsibilities on ourselves that we don't actually need to do.
Time to break the cycle
You've recognized the hustle, now what?
This is going to look different for every person. And that's to be expected - we are all different people with different needs.
But here are some things that may help you to try:
Toss the to-do lists (at least for a bit)
Focus on just the top three things that you HAVE to do today, the rest can wait
No phones for the first hour of your day
Reminders to unplug and focus on just being
Social media breaks
Journaling
Intentional online time
Work with a timer or a playlist to limit work time and set the focus
What else would help you with setting better habits and boundaries around hustle? Leave a comment!
No matter what you try, remember, this has been a habit you've probably had for a while. It won't change overnight and that's okay. J
ust as we have a practice of rest and intentionality, this is a practice too.
Set the commitment and intention and determine to break the hustle cycle.
Not every moment needs to be productive
, but each moment should be intentional.
Was this helpful?
Feel free to share this with others as you seek to break the hustle culture for yourself.
And check out the Introduction to Full-Self Care resource now available - the rest of the Full-Self Care resources will be coming over the next weeks and months, but this is the first step.
Follow the journey on Instagram
Need to chat this out more? I'd love to connect with you and work on a plan for your current hustle and rest journey.
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