Shownotes:

When we’re on social media, one of the common posts that we see is people working on a particular scenario with the caption, “hustling”. For some people, it is motivating and inspiring to have so much dedication for work regardless of what their situation is. But, has anyone thought about how unhealthy it is to put work on top of your priorities before your health? Imagine if your health becomes at risk, would you be able to work at all?

Hello, and welcome to The Traveling Introvert. Today, I want to talk about how hustling isn't good, just hustling isn't good.

I was scrolling through Facebook today after speaking to ... I think that was a new friend ... about podcasting. She wants to launch a thing and there is an image of somebody in a podcasting group, and they are in a hospital gown, hooked up to a couple of drips, and they have their laptop out, and they are editing their podcast. And it literally says, "When the episode is supposed to launch on Friday night, it will launch Friday at midnight," and people were like, "Yay. Thumbs up. Keep grinding. Get well soon. Dedication. Inspiring. Work it. Wow, get better." Like, really?

This person is in hospital and yet they are there ... and this is on a Thursday ... editing their podcast. What is the fascination with people thinking that this is a good thing? Thinking that the hustle makes it better. It makes ... it proves them ... that they're a better human being or something.

Let's get this straight. Hustling is not good for you. It is not healthy. Sustained hustling is not healthy and good for you. I do not know why this person is currently in hospital. It could be something minor for all I know. But, the fact that people are seeing this photo, and congratulating him, and thinking it's a good thing, shows a disturbing lack of thought and foresight. So, this person probably didn't plan their podcast a little bit better.

One of the things I always talk about it planning your podcast around your lifestyle and having a few episodes in the bag so in case anything happens, like you go to hospital, or your internet is down, or something happens and you have to go look after somebody. Have a few episodes in the bag already that you can just pull out.

Also, there's nothing wrong with telling people, "Hey, I'm in hospital right now so there will not be a podcast," or, "There will not be a blog post," or, "There will not be an x, why, z," whatever it might be. Why do we have a huge problem with saying, "No, I need to focus on me right now. I need to get better. I will be back." That's it.

But, instead people are congratulating him on the hustle. And I'm kinda anti-hustle. I'm not kind of anti-hustle. I'm anti-hustle. I don't like the hustle. You can hustle for a short space of time on something, but to have a sustained ... "I'm hustling," I think really means, "I'm not prepared," or, "I don't have systems," or, "I just don't know what I'm doing."

Having systems helps. Having backups help. Delegating helps. Outsourcing helps. Means you don't have to hustle as hard or as long. There's no point hustling all the time if you can't be well enough to enjoy it.

So, if you are out there right now, and you are hustling, and you think it's wonderful, shame on you. From my personal point of view, it's disgusting. The fact that we're trying to make it better ... 60 hours a week, not enough. It should be 70, 80 hours a week. Doctors have it easy. No.

Life is about living and enjoying it. So, don't be working all the time if your can't enjoy your life. You can work for a certain amount of time to then enjoy something later, and have a goal. But, the fact that you are doing this, and celebrating it, is not good mentally or physically for you, and for other people in the future.

What are your thoughts on hustling? What does hustle mean to you? And what do you do to prevent hustle and burnout? Because, let's be honest, that's the next stage after hustle, but no one talks about burnout. No one talks about founder's burnout. No one talks about entrepreneurial burnout. No one talks about digital nomad burnout. And these are all things because of hustling.

Thank you for listening. This is Janice from The Career Introvert. Looking forward to helping you with your career and your business alongside your introversion. If you have any questions or comments, please email me at Janice@TheCareerIntrovert.com.