With fall on the horizon and summer fading away it seems the to-do list is growing while our sleep is decreasing. The ideas of what it means to “hustle” are being infused into our modern 2019 mindsets from every direction. We are striving to be better, look better, and do better. According to Merriam-Webster, hustle can mean to sell or promote energetically, or to urge forward precipitately. According to Urban Dictionary, hustle means to have the courage, confidence, self-belief and self-determination to go out there and work it out until you find the opportunities you want in life. The Urban Dictionary definition is my personal favorite and I strive, along with all the other fabulous women who are a part of the PPG community, to live this out in my life. Although, I question, is there such thing as too much hustle? Are we too focused on hustling that we forget to rest, recover, recharge, and breathe so that we may continue on this path we are building brick by brick for ourselves.

If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.

-The Nourishing Way

In our society it is easy to see our personal lives and work lives as two separate but co-existing spheres. This is not true. Our emotions and experiences from one realm of life can transfer to another. Mental Health America has explained that with increased stress our productivity begins to decrease. Ironically, the whole idea fueling the hustle mentality is to be PRODUCTIVE. Although, we cannot be productive as we wish until we take care of ourselves and control our stress instead of letting it control us. Mental Health America also shared about the correlation between stress and physical health. Stress weakens our immune system, and chronic stress doubles our risk of a heart attack.

Wow. Once we start looking at the facts it’s hard to accept the fact that this is something WE are doing to ourselves. Now, it is true that our fast-paced and seemingly never stoping society also has a dominant role in the way we live, but it is in our hands to balance our hustle with our rest. There is a time to play and a time to work, similarly, there is a time to hustle and a time to rest.

Now what? We know what stress does, but how do we find peace in a world that produces everything except.

Mental Health America suggests:

At work:

• Give yourself manageable goals

• Be efficient with the time you have

• Communicate with your peers how you are feeling

• Give yourself a break/ take at least 5 minutes a day to breathe

At home/ outside of work:

• Unplug (from work, technology, whatever “unplug” means to you)

• Don’t over commit

• Get support

• Stay active

• Treat your body right

• Ask for help when you need it

By no means am I saying drop your hustle. I FULLY support the hustle moment #hustlebabyhustle. Although, I believe in being effective in all I do as well, and I cannot hustle at my full capacity without proper restoration. All this to say hustle but rest and find your balance.

xoxo,

Bri