5 Tips to Pause Hustle Mode and Slow down
In our society, we’re taught that if we’re not being productive, we’re being lazy. This fear of laziness can affect our mindset towards relaxation without us even noticing it.
But if you don’t give yourself time to decompress, you’re more prone to burnout. The problem with burnout is that it negatively affects your creativity, motivation, and mindset – the things you need to do good work in the first place.
How do you counteract hustle mode? Here are some tips that have helped me to slow down:
1. Notice when you’re inspired by hustle culture
When you’re scrolling through Instagram or reading books for personal growth, notice if you feel inspired by someone’s hustle. It’s obviously not a bad thing to be inspired by other people working hard. But you also need to be smart about your strategy. It’s important to do things with intention, not just because you think they should be on your to-do list. Think about ways you could find a better balance between action and relaxation.
2. Check yourself when you think “I need to do more”
Where does this thought come from? Are you trying to prove something to someone? Realize that you don’t need to do EVERYTHING. You’re already doing enough. If you can train your mind to stop thinking you need to do more, you won’t feel as overwhelmed.
3. Adjust your daily routines
Create space in your day that separates your workday from personal time. Do something for yourself in the morning before jumping into emails first thing. At the end of the day, do something that signals it’s time to let go of work (take a bath, go for a walk, etc) and try not to do any work after that.
4. Schedule in blank time
Add a blank time block to your schedule at least once a week (better yet, once a day). You don’t have to include any particular tasks or plan it out to a T. Block it off and know that it’s your time to spend doing anything but work. Something that’s been helping me is taking a weekly tech detox every Sunday. On these days, I no longer check emails or do anything work-related, which has given me some much-needed balance in my life.
5. Journal it out
To better understand your relationship with hustle mode, you may need to dig deeper into your mindset around self-worth and productivity. Here are some journal prompts to write about:
What about being productive makes you feel good? How do you feel if you’re not being productive?
Who inspires you in the business/work world? What type of lifestyle do they lead?
What would your ideal work-life balance look like?
Do you feel like you need to DO something to be worthy? How are you worthy outside of work? How are you valuable in this world beyond your work?
Hustle culture is romanticized. We hear stories of people grinding late at night until their hard work finally pays off. We think we need to do the same and use it as inspiration, even when we’re struggling.
I hope this post has encouraged you to step away from the hustle mentality or at least try to find a balance between being productive and letting yourself relax. Join our online courses. The course offers both background information and practical strategies for bringing mindfulness into your personal, and/or professional life.
Reference:
https://theblissfulmind.com/slow-down/