In the words of Urban Dictionary, the definition of hustle is “working hard, usually towards the common goal of creating income” and I think we can all agree in more or less terms that the hustle is related to our successes. Today it seems everyone is either an entrepreneur, juggling professional endeavours, or just flat out being successful at something in their life. Toronto itself is filled with so many amazing opportunities for resumes and portfolios, and it seems that once you start saying yes to new experiences, they just keep flooding in. But the thing we oftentimes don’t realize, is the effect that being this busy has on our mental health.
So where is this balance?
I think people keep forgetting (before spreading themselves too thin) the effect that being busy can have on their emotional and mental capacity. I am one who works best under pressure, juggling multiple things at a time, and I try my best to stay busy so I don’t have time to wallow in low emotions… but in all honesty I’ve been working on my third mental breakdown of the week and as I write this, it’s only Wednesday. The thing we — myself included — keep forgetting is to treat ourselves to downtime. We get so caught up in opportunities and our futures that we forget to enjoy the moments right in front of us. We forget to take time to ourselves to unwind and relax.
Don’t get me wrong. Be successful — I applaud you to try new things, say yes to opportunities, sign up for extracurriculars, because most of the great moments of my life have been because of things like this! Just keep in mind that the hustle is nothing without success, and the key to success is focus. Without focus and a clear mind, are you really being the best that you can be?
Which is why I think the key to the hustle is self care. Dedication, sure. Passion, definitely. But the kryptonite of it all can actually stem from within your own self, and then passion and dedication won’t stand a chance.
Taking the time to yourself to de-stress, and being able to tackle projects with a clear mind will be so much more beneficial and efficient than coming at it when your brain feels like imploding. You do need breaks every once and a while, and there most definitely is power in saying no. Not every opportunity is a good opportunity, but how do you expect yourself to be able to do your best when the right one comes along if you’ve been burning yourself out with one-hundred-and-one other half-assed attempts at being successful?
Just know that you can only meet your true potential if you’re truly valuing yourself. So my question at this point is, are you?