Hustle Culture Can Be Toxic-Here's How to Navigate it Successfully

by Julie Ball

Hustle Culture Can Be Toxic-Here's How to Navigate it Successfully
05/31/2022 by Julie Ball

In a culture that glorifies busyness, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and compete for "the most overwhelmed." However, the only thing waiting at the finish line will be burnout.

So how can you recalibrate and design a fulfilling life as an entrepreneur without burning yourself to the ground?

Foster these practices to keep hustle culture at bay.

1. Redefine success.

When was the last time you thought about what it really meant to be successful? One of the biggest traps in the hustle culture is chasing what others deem “right.” The thing is, going down this route often means going after things that don’t truly matter to you.

To center yourself, consider these questions:

• What does success look like to you? Not what’s expected from parents or spouses or colleagues, but what do you consider success? It may mean the freedom to work on your own schedule, financial independence or being home for dinner every night.

• What does your ideal day look like? Is it similar to what you’re currently doing? If not, how can you make it so?

• What type of life would you lead if there were no "ifs" or "buts?"

2. Set lower and upper bounds.

It’s easy to run endlessly when there’s no finish line. In his book Great by Choice, Jim Collins devoted a chapter to the 20-mile march. This refers to setting sustainable goals that’ll consistently get you closer to where you want to be than uncontrolled growth spurts and the slow periods that’ll inevitably come as a result of your exhaustion.

The 20-mile march means setting a specific measure of growth for a set period of time, regardless of the conditions—no sprinting on the way down but also not dragging on the way up.

In practice, the 20-mile march looks like setting the goal of increasing annual income by at least 10% per year but not more than 20%. As an entrepreneur, you can achieve this by launching a new offer, but it’s also possible by increasing your retainers without working more hours. And it’s a manageable enough increment that clients won’t freak out or jump ship.

3. Evaluate your habits.

I bet you’ve read at least once that the secret to successful entrepreneurship, motherhood and basically any venture is waking up earlier and that Beyonce’s day has the same amount of hours as yours and all that jazz. I disagree. While an early morning can be a prime creative time for some, you might work better at night. Each of us is unique, and there’s no cookie-cutter daily schedule that can propel you to success. For me, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. are my strongest work hours.

So I invite you to sit down and consider whether the things you’re doing are bringing you closer to who you want to be and the way you want to feel. We often fall into the trap of thinking that life will start once we fill in the blank with a future achievement. But that’s not the case; life is comprised of the small moments in between. So ask yourself, are you truly choosing them?

If you keep chastising yourself for hitting the snooze button, forcing an evening run even when you hate it, or otherwise forcing yourself into someone else’s idea of successful habits, stop. Reevaluate. How can you approach this moment (your workout, your morning routine, your project management at work) in a way that serves you? That’s not to say you’ll feel joy 100% of the time, but why not strive for the highest percentage possible?

4. Set clear boundaries.

For many, the hustle culture looks like being "on" 24/7/365, replying to emails immediately, hopping on calls at any time, but you are not your job. Your job is a fraction of who you are.

Whether you work a 9-5 or own a business, you need clear start and end times along with rest. Just like a marathon runner needs a proper night’s sleep before a race, your body, mind and soul need to recharge in order to be the best version of yourself.

I've found that creating rituals that signal the start and end of the day can give your brain much-needed separation between work and personal time. This is especially important if you’re working from home after a life of commuting. And business owners generally have a hard time shutting off as well since we are the business. But these mindful transitions are crucial for your well-being.

Are you falling prey to hustle culture?

Hustle culture teaches us that there’s always more: more money to make, a bigger title or promotion and a higher wall to climb. Today, take a moment to reflect on what it is that you’re after and how you’re taking care of yourself while you reach it.

Remember: Your life is what you make of it. Will you spend it chasing a dangling carrot or enjoy precious moments as they come?