Why Hustle Culture is Toxic – and What To Do About It
April 28, 2022What is hustle culture? This is a modern phenomenon, where one’s focus is on his/her career – or building side businesses – in such a way that personal time, hobbies, self-care, etc. all fall by the wayside. There are a few essays in this book (amazing book – totally recommend 100%) that discuss hustle culture and the dangers of it.
So how do you combat hustle culture? There are a number of ways:
- Monitor your energy levels. Either keep a log of daily energy levels or consider putting it in your journal. When you notice energy levels dip, it’s a sign that your body needs more downtime. Schedule it.
- Schedule downtime & pursue hobbies. It may seem silly at first, but as someone who is a workaholic at times, scheduling downtime is essential. It forces us to be more intentional with our days. Pursuing hobbies that bring us joy will help to reinforce a more balanced lifestyle. Schedule time to pursue those hobbies.
- Set boundaries. Boundaries will help you be the best version of yourself. Learn to say “no” to others that make too many demands on your time; this can be very difficult for some people, but it’s key to take back control of your days – and life.
- Focus on what makes the biggest impact in your life. Ever heard of the Pareto Principle? It’s a phenomenon that states that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes. Applied to hustle culture, it can be viewed that 80% of your success comes from 20% of your efforts. So take time to evaluate which of your tasks are most important to your success – and then skip everything else.
