"Hustle, hustle, hustle, hard" this is the chorus from Ace Hood's tune "Hustle hard". This will set the tone of this blog post. In western society there is a toxic hustle culture which I have noticed emerge over the last few years where they push the notion that people need to be working 24/7. There are people who shame 9-5ers and push the narrative that they must have multiple side-hustles on top of their job. There are motivational speakers who have negatively contributed to this culture. A phrase I have heard is "I'll sleep when I'm dead" or something along the lines of "while you are all sleeping I am up working" or "I'm always grinding". I understand that it is very important to have a strong work ethic, especially if you are trying to achieve particular goals. However, I do not believe you have to be working crazy hours to the detriment of your own health.
I have unfortunately done this. All my life I was taught to work hard so that I can be successful, and that is exactly what I did. I worked hard wherever I was employed despite being underpaid for the level of work I was doing. I've worked very long hours consistently and all it did was burn me out and make me depressed. Many of us will work the hell out of ourselves for a company that can easily replace us. Work-life balance is important, just working without the balance is not good for us as we are not machines and our bodies need rest!.
I used to believe in this hustle culture, to the extent that if I had a day off and I didn't do anything productive that day I would feel guilty. I would question myself as to why I didn't read a book, exercise, or do research etc. I would feel as though I had wasted time that I could not get back. This was a toxic mindset I had. Having an unproductive day is needed where you take a break from life. There is nothing wrong in having a day where you stay in bed all day, or binge watch a Netflix series while eating junk food, or watch TV all day. These are rest days which are necessary, our bodies need rest to recuperate. Now I do not feel bad for having a lazy day, I know I've worked hard and been productive during the week so I deserve a rest day. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing yourself. You are not supposed to be productive 24/7, even God rested on the 7th day.
I remember speaking to a nurse who worked in a hospice with terminally ill patients. She had told me that many of the patients used to say they wished they had spent more time with their families and loved ones. No one had ever said they wished they worked more while on their death bed. When someone dies you realise what's actually important in life e.g. family, friends, happiness, love, peace etc.
In the West there is this very fast-paced culture and always being on the go. This creates stress which can have a negative impact on your mental and physical health. I see this a lot especially living in London. No wonder Londoners always look depressed when you see them on the trains going to work in the morning. When I last visited Ghana it was a much more slow paced environment. I noticed that people in Ghana seemed less stressed compared to those in London despite having a lower standard of living. I feel that in this type of slow paced environment people actually value and enjoy their life more and do what makes them happy. When I'm in London I feel more stressed and anxious but when I'm in Ghana I feel more at peace. I've noticed people from other parts of Africa, the Caribbean and Asia who have said the same thing about when they travel back to their home countries.
I remember a time when I used to hear about rich men in developed countries committing suicide. I never understood this at the time because they literally had everything money could buy. I realised as I got older that they are missing the important things in their life. If there is no love, peace, good relationships/support in your life no amount of money will fill these voids. This is why you can go to a rural village in a developing country and see poor children playing in dirt and they are very happy . The western world has a culture which focuses on the accumulation of wealth, consumerism and materialism as the key happiness. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to be able to have things, but that is not the be all and end all. We need to also value the important things in life. The pandemic forced people (especially in the west) to slow down their busy lifestyles, be still and to have time to think about what is actually important in their lives.
I am not against making money, working hard and hustling. I believe there needs to be a balance. Work hard, rest, spend time with loved ones and do things you actually enjoy. To me that is the key to having a fulfilled life.
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