Somehow #hustlelife has taken over social media by storm and you have more and more people telling you proudly that they pulled all-nighters for work or university. I mean, how often have you recently heard “No pain, no gain”, “Grind now. Shine later.” or “You can sleep when you are old”. All those quotes play a part in the toxic mindset of hustle culture, so let’s talk about why hustle culture is not good for you!
What Is Hustle Culture?
To start this off, let’s clarify what hustle culture actually means because a lot of people using those hashtags might not exactly know what it means. My favorite place to look in such cases is the Urban Dictionary. It defines hustle culture as: “ The glorification of working very long hours in hope of reaching one’s professional goals while having a disregard for their health, and relationships with loved ones”. You basically overwork yourself to the point where it becomes a lifestyle, which means early mornings and late nights to finish all to-do’s. Meanwhile, you and your private life suffer. You don’t stop when you’re tired; you stop when you’re done.
The Misleading Mindsets of 24/7 Hustle Culture
This toxic culture makes it impossible to win because whatever you do it’s never enough, there is always something else to do or a task to finish. You don’t take breaks, because the hard work will pay off. A lot of workplaces have this kind of toxic mindset where people look weird at you if you are actually not working over your normal hours. So let’s take a quick look at two mindsets that are a part of 24/7 hustle culture.
Hard Work = Success
Realizing this can be quite the downer, but hard work doesn’t necessarily equate to your success. Your success is influenced by a lot of factors, not only how hard you work on a daily basis. It also utterly depends on how you define success for yourself.
In the case that success means to you getting promoted, don’t just hustle for it or finish all your tasks in record time, talk to your boss exactly what they need from you for a promotion and set goals together
Quantity > Quality Mindset
Hustle culture encourages you to prioritize quantity over the quality of your work until you forget what it was you’re actually chasing. No matter how impressive the amount of tasks you can finish in a day are, what will most likely will get you recognition in the end are high-quality ideas. And for you to have those, you require space to think and to be creative. That doesn’t work while you are busy finishing your to-do list.
The Side-Effects of Hustle Culture
Hustle culture puts you under permanent stress, because you have no time to calm down between tasks. Instead, you are jumping from task to task, most likely becoming more stressed the later it gets or the more tasks you put on your to-do list. This constant state of being stressed out is not only bad for your mental health but also for your body. Hustle culture keeps your body steeped in stress hormones (cortisol). And long periods of high levels of cortisol can lead to high blood pressure, high blood glucose, muscle and bone breakdown, impaired immune system function (making you more likely to get sick), prolonged healing times after injuries, and even impaired formation of long-term memories. Whether it be mentally or physically, hustle culture will take a toll on you. Working hard is different from overworking, and it’s crucial that you recognize the difference.
8 Tips to Hustle Less and to Live More
1. Stop Glorifying the Hustle Culture
Look inwards and ask some questions. Why are you even hustling? Are you doing it for praise or to keep up with a fast-paced working atmosphere? And do you still know why you are so intent on living the hustle life? Working 70 hours a week is not good. Figure out if your success or goal is worth ruining your mental and bodily health, or if there are other ways to reach it. Be honest with yourself, reevaluate what you are doing and why you are doing it.
2. Set clear professional and personal goals for your life.
Getting clear about your short and long-term professional and personal goals is one of the most important tips on this list and can save yourself from the hustle. Once you clearly know what you want and where you want to go, it’s easier to navigate your way past any projects and favors that don’t align with your priorities.
3. Define what your ideal day would be like
Don’t think about what your day should look like, but rather what would be your perfect day. It’s a good way to figure out what kind of job you even want to do and if you should start your own business, be a freelancer or work in the corporate world. You have options, but the hours you’ll have to work influence how you structure your day.
4. Prioritize your to-do’s
It’s simple but can help you a lot when you don’t want to work too much. Also, be ready to delegate or say no to tasks. You only put on your plate what you can actually finish. Manage your time effectively. You can’t manage time, but you can manage yourself, your tasks and your projects.
5. Be aware of the people who surround you.
Cleanse your feed of accounts and people who promote hustle culture. Don’t let your Instagram feed normalize this kind of lifestyle for you. You may not even notice how much you’re working or how it’s messing with your wellbeing. If the people you spend time with are hustlers, set your boundaries.
6. Get enough sleep and give your brain a break
Make sure to sleep 7-8 hours a night, so your body can relax. Your brain need time to process. Try to set boundaries for yourself as well, once you are off-work, you don’t check your mails or reply to a colleague. Generally speaking, the world will not end, if you answer tomorrow.
7. Reward yourself now, not later.
In hustle culture, a lot of people keep going because they tell themselves that they will be rewarded in the long run. It’s important to set small achievable goals in your life plan (if you have one) and to reward yourself after every single one, because you are doing great.
Hustle culture has taken the world by storm, and especially young professionals suffer in it. So let’s all take a look at ourselves and reevaluate our way of working, because you don’t wanna be stuck in the hamster wheel of 24/7 hustle culture because it definitely is not good for you.
In my opinion, if you want to lead a happy and successful life, you need to be careful with your energy. Only invest as much time as is sustainable for you into your job. You are supposed to have a private life, to just watch Netflix, read a book or do nothing. You need self-care to be on top of your game to deliver quality work.
If you want to learn more about ways to manage your time more effectively click here and if you are interested in tips for a better work-life-balance click here.
Be right back,
Ally
