in.sight
a newsletter for the eyes of the mind
SERIES 01 | ISSUE 04
Hustle culture turned me into a jerk
What if we stopped celebrating being busy as a measurement of importance? What if instead we celebrated how much time we had spent listening, pondering, meditating, and enjoying time with the most important people in our lives?
– Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
5am mornings. 10 kilometre jogs. 12 hour workdays. 7 days a week.
I used to think this was the standard for a productive and contributional life. While it did become a way of living I got used to, it was also eroding me from the inside out.
Perspectives from behavioral psychology
Hustle culture taps into our psyche through a very specific reinforcement schedule known as the variable ratio schedule. The concept rests upon external rewards that occur on a random basis.
It’s unpredictable yet addictive, making it one of the strongest of all reinforcement tactics in behavioral psychology. Like lottery games, the rush of dopamine that comes from the rewards of your hustle pushes you to hang on until your next win.
Confessions of a Recovering Hustler
Working to the bone used to be my badge of honor. Whilst a good work ethic is important, it took me rock bottom to realize that there’s a fine line between discipline and blind busyness.
My past obsession with micromanaging my productivity turned me into a total jerk. I wasn’t a nice person to be around. Heck, I didn’t even like being around myself. Despite external gains, I was mostly in physical and mental resistance. It killed emotional empathy while igniting physical burnout.
Today, success looks like more moments of genuine connection, with both the people around me and the things I do. To embrace being a human being, instead of a “human doing”.
Unlearning Hustle Culture
Resigning from team #NoDaysOff isn’t an overnight task. I’m personally still on the journey of unlearning. But here are a couple of things that are helping me tide the waves.
1. Understanding its roots
Unlearning begins with getting to the bottom of these beliefs. To do so, you have to be honest with yourself. And here are some prompts you can use to uncover those roots.
- How was grind culture displayed in your life growing up?
- What are your personal beliefs about success and the hustle?
- What do you fear will happen if you stop grinding so hard?
2. Bite-sized mindfulness
Hustle culture lives in an extremely all-or-nothing hazard zone. That’s why we need cookie-sized practices that we can incorporate throughout the day. It’s as simple as a single breath, a ten-minute meditation, or a cup of tea. As long as you’re doing things that help you reconnect with your senses, you can stop the grind in its tracks
3. Make rest your job
Resistance against rest comes up often as a recovering hustler, saying ‘no’ to overcommitment is a pain. In those moments, we need to remind ourselves that rest deserves a spot in your Google calendar just as much as that extra meeting.
4. Flipping the script
Create a new narrative on what success looks like as you hop off the hustle ladder. Does it look like better health? Better relationships? This is a necessary mindset shift that will not only benefit us but also set the precedent for our generations to come.
💝 noteworthy
How do we untangle the persistent feeling of dissatisfaction with work, no matter how much you’ve got done? This Modern Wisdom episode invites author Anna Codrea-Rado to talk about the modern malady of overworking and toxic productivity. They also discuss the dangers of admiring productivity gurus online, how to take pride in the work you’ve done, and much more.
😌 calm corner
3-HOUR STUDY WITH ME / calm lofi / A Rainy Evening in Tokyo | Abao in Tokyo
Trying to set the mood for your study or work sesh? This relaxing 3-hour lofi playlist comes with a handy Pomodoro timer to get you in the flow. It intersperses between work and rest, giving you space to breathe in between work sprints. The rainy ASMR soothes frayed nerves too.