Let's talk about hustle culture.

I feel like every generation over corrects the last one. I also feel like our current situation requires much correcting. We have creating this life of hustle and we are so proud of it. Busy is a badge of honor, though we say with rolled eyes as if we are annoyed.

We are also pressured to take care of ourselves more than ever and take time away from work and socials to have better wellness, we are much more aware of mental health and preaching it. However, the way we are preaching all of this is making it one more task on a seemingly endless to do list of all the things.

Have a job – and work to get out of that job and be self sufficient. Have six different streams of income, read all the books and make sure you are also paying attention to those close relationships in your life, make sure you are eating well and moving your body daily and also add in some meditation and quiet time to center yourself. Make sure you are waking up wit the sun and going to be, but also make sure you are getting up before anyone else to get a good start to your day.

Always be connected, because you do not want to miss anything, especially if it is work related, you want to be the best so that means you have to be available 24/7 even when you are not getting paid. And let the guilt take over if you are not available, also make sure you don’t feel guilty that you are taking time away from your family and glued to your phone. Make sure you are posting every bit of your life on social media so that people can keep up with all the amazing things you are doing. Make sure you plan all the outings for your family, and make sure your life is as amazing as it looks. Don’t take breaks, but also make sure you take time to relax your brain.

Fuck, it is all so exhausting. And we make it that way, with the hustle culture. Don’t quit, don’t give up, no excuses, push harder, be the best, work harder than anyone else. Be the first up and last to bed.

Enough. Seriously, enough.

We are killing ourselves and neglecting ourselves and our families, and yes, our work as well. Because when we are trying to do it all, we are not doing anything well. And if self-care activities and taking time for yourself feels like work and another thing on the to do list, it is not going to work to make you feel any better it is only going to make you more stressed out.

It is such a contradiction – this hustle culture, while also pushing a ton of self-care and slowing down. It is so confusing and yet here we are trying to do it all, and most of us are failing, or burning out. Or our bodies are forcing us to take breaks by getting sick, and even then we don’t take enough of a break.

I laugh sometimes when I see out of office notices on return emails saying people are out of the office and have limited access to emails and calls, but when check them periodically. Are you on vacation or not?

Or better, that they are having a procedure done but will be working from the hospital. Its fucking ridiculous. And I did it. My daughter was in the hospital for two weeks and I was frantically trying to work and get things figured out from the hospital when I should have been focusing on her and when she was sleeping instead of working, I should have been taking mental breaks and sleeping as well. Same with having her, I was back to work in two weeks of having her. No new mom needs the added stress of work two weeks after giving birth. No one. That is truly ridiculous.

I once saw someone post that their client was working from the hospital. WORKING FROM THE HOSPITAL where they just had surgery as if this was something to be proud of. I honestly found it disgusting, you should be healing not working. Take the fucking break.

We need to take breaks. We need to set more boundaries around our working hours, and those we work with. Turn off the phones when we are home and disconnect so that we can reconnect with those who are important to us. Most importantly, set boundaries. And it is much easier said than done – I try so hard to make it happen and don’t do it to the best of my ability. I know I have a lot to work on and I will keep working.

It is so important, like I said the hustle culture has been ingrained in us so much that feel guilty taking time off and check in when we do take time instead of actually taking that time to be present elsewhere. The hustle culture is bull shit and I can only hope new generations coming in are going to overcorrect this and be disconnected more often. That is my hope.

For now, we need to work on not pushing the hustle culture. Stop pushing people to get up earlier, go to bed later in one sentence and then telling them to get enough rest in the other. Stop pushing people to have all the hustles and break their bodies trying to make shit happen and be the best. Focus on doing the best you can with what you have and also nurturing the ever important relationships in their lives – those will be around much longer than the hustle, I promise you.

And please, please, take actual breaks, turn the phone and work on the guilt.

Sending love a previous hustle-aholic myself. See photo below I thought was awesome. Nope.