Life Lesson: Stop the Insanity

Most successful people will tell you that working hard is the main reason why they got to where they are. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that hustling has become part of our culture.  

As we strive to achieve our goals and ideal of success, we feel the need to put work above everything else in our lives.  We become obsessed with productivity, and even look down on anyone else who doesn't seem to work as hard.  We will wear the busy badge as one of honour.  But the truth is that overworking leads to overwhelm, exhaustion and ultimately burn out.

This isn't to say that it is wrong to work hard.  It can however, become toxic when you prioritize work above everything and never take the time to enjoy your life. 

It is possible that the hustle culture has crept up on your through the culture and expectations of your workplace.  That your tolerations over the past few years have expanded and your boundaries have diminished; creating the gap needed for falling into the trap.

How hustle culture is toxic

 You will experience burnout!

• You are not a machine!  You 100% require downtime to rest, relax and recharge. 
• No matter how focused you are on your goals, you must learn to slow down and stop when you need too. 
• You must put yourself first, learn to reduce the workload, practice self-care and take breaks to give yourself the space you need to thrive.

 Impact on your health

• Both physical and mental issues can arise when someone is overworked.  It can be as simple has sitting too long at your desk, causing back or neck pain, posture problems and increased risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
• Staring at your computer screen could lead to eye problems. 
• General stress about work all the time, feeling anxious, depressed when you have trouble reaching your goals or the expectations set and the feeling of guilt can all be attributed to this mindset.

 You are never finished working

• If you are always looking for something to do, you will find some task that needs to be done.  This means you might not be sticking to your work hours. 
• You will always find something to do and can't allow yourself time to relax, unwind, even when you are supposed to.  If you are on-call or even when you aren't find yourself checking your phone and computer for messages and emails about something work-related no matter where you are or what time it is. 
• If you have a full time job plus a side-hustle; there may be no off switch in your life. 

 It's counter productive

• More time working does not actually increase productivity & performance.
• You will not be in the right headspace to be working.  With burnout, sleep deprivation, health problems, and overworking will lead to poor performance overall.
• Success will most likely come from the quality and not the quantity of time you spend working.

Failure

• Finding it harder to bounce back after failure is common because it seems to hit you harder . Because you have little capacity left over when you have invested all the time, energy and effort into whatever you were doing.

Wanting to become successful and working hard towards goals is a good thing. 

But if that is the only focus or intention, you can neglect the other important aspects of your life, then it becomes toxic. Don't get stuck in the ideology of busy, hustle, and grind in the pursuit of success because you will miss out on happiness, quality of life & enjoying the fruits of your labour.

As you strive to achieve your goals, embrace the journey don't rush it.  Get clear on your goals. Make better choices.  Shift your priorities to align with your values. Set boundaries to protect your most valuable asset -  YOU.

Designing a life worth living, requires you to blend life & work in the perfect combination for the season of life you are in.