How to Break Free From The Toxic "Hustle Culture" - And What To Do Instead
We’re conditioned to believe that the harder we hustle, the most successful we will be. It’s time to break this toxic culture and reclaim our lives.
No other historical period has seen such rapid progress as the last fifty years. Being at the forefront of the Digital Revolution, we can now achieve things that were unimaginable a mere two generations ago. And while this comes with numerous advantages, it appears that progress isn't always necessarily the healthiest way forward.
As a collective, we have managed to butcher Descartes' "cogito ergo sum" into a more fitting "I work therefore I am." We've become absolutely obsessed with work, productivity, output, and income. And this obsession has gone so far as to define every single aspect of our lives and identities. In short, the hustle has gone from activity to culture.
The Sacrifices We Make
If you look at the typical "busy" person's schedule, you'll find it packed with obligations from first light to late at night. Workaholics love to brag about waking up before 4am, being at their desk before everyone else, or skipping lunch so they can get a bit extra done. But not many of them speak about the real sacrifice involved in being a "hustler."
You see, moving at such a fast pace is exhausting. Driving people to neglect self-care routines and social connections, the hustle can have severe physical and mental health consequences. For example, a 2020 survey performed by Zoma showed that 50% of respondents felt like they didn't have enough time to finish all their tasks. What's more, 73.1% of these people stated that they experienced stress, and 75.8% confirmed that they felt tired on a daily basis.
And that's not the only downside of being "always on." In addition to causing stress and exhaustion, living solely to be productive often leads to individuals feeling out of control, disengaged, and simply unhappy.
The Alternative
On one end of the spectrum, there's workaholism cleverly disguised as hustle culture. On the other, there's the ever-illusive concept of work-life balance. You see, research has shown time and again that being productive isn't about working harder than everyone else. It's about working smarter. And it just turns out that the intelligent way to approach our jobs is to take more breaks.
Short and long periods of rest are not just beneficial in keeping us at a physical and cognitive peak—they also fuel motivation and help us make sound decisions. So how can you break away from hustle culture? Well, it comes down to two basic skills: organization and prioritization.
Master Your To-Do List
Perhaps the first step towards a healthier work-life balance comes in the form of taking an objective look at your schedule and making it work for you instead of it being the other way around.
What does your daily planner/calendar app tell about your use of time? Do you track your hours, or do you let things take their own course? Are the goals and timelines you set realistic, or are you setting yourself up for failure from the start? Most importantly, are you allotting time for self-care?
You see, when planning for any big undertaking in your life (personal or professional), you need to consider every step of the way. Yes, there is an end goal, but you will have to overcome many obstacles before you get there. If you think about your career as a race, it becomes clear that there are things you have to do before you get that gold medal.
First comes the training process. Sure, you can approach it as an excuse to punish and beat your body into shape. But, you can also opt to work with your body to get the absolute best performance, eat the right foods, and get sufficient sleep.
Making small increases in pace or intensity and taking care to recover is going to lead to better endurance, strength, and explosive power. Trying to go from couch to 5K in a single week, however, is only going to set you up for injury, pain, and, ultimately, quitting.
Make Choices That Are Right for You
Once you've gotten the hang of your to-do list and identified your habits, perhaps even taken steps to pace yourself, it's time to think about prioritizing projects. You see, when we adopt hustle culture as our way of approaching work, we often end up saying yes to everything. There may be many exciting opportunities on our ever-growing lists of assignments, but it's also important to note that not all of them matter to us.
Contrary to popular belief, prioritization doesn't mean working on things that require your attention the most immediately. Instead, it's all about deciding to invest your time and effort into the projects that are worth your time. And remember, value isn't necessarily determined by financial gain. An undertaking you're passionate about or a job that will allow you to spend more time with your family can be just as worthwhile.
Deciding on the Work that Deserves Your Attention
In the end, breaking away from the hustle culture comes down to making difficult decisions and accepting less-than-ideal truths. Yes, stopping work at 5 p.m. sharp will give you less time to work. But, it will also make you take a breather and relax. And when you're back at the desk at 9 a.m. the following morning, you will feel rested, restored, and even hungry to produce results.
In the end, this excitement you'll feel for work will be a much stronger motivator than filling up your portfolio or getting that promotion. Moreover, it's sure to result in higher quality output as well.
So, if you're one of those people who are all about the hustle, why not consider taking a step back? Even if it's just for a limited amount of time. You might just find that with a bit more time comes clarity. And that may lead you to the next big thing.