I blame myself.
Whenever I see the calendar and realize the week/month is finished, I go back and blame myself for all the things I should have done and did not. I should exercise more, study more about my work, and get another certification. I have to search for at least one side hustle and develop, if possible, multiple streams of income. Why was I not as productive as I should? Are just 8 hours of work enough?
I am losing, failing miserably to be “that girl”, to be 110% efficient and productive, to declutter, to reduce my impact on the environment, to become a minimalist. I am not a boss, CEO of my own company that is sustainable and has a positive impact in the world, nor entrepreneur in a start-up. Furthermore, I fail to participate enough in the social changes, I am not supporting adequately the minorities, the refugees, the feminist movement, the endangered animals, and I am not doing my best to reverse the effects of global warming.
I wake up, and I am already so far behind in everything.
Our generation has been taught that we are privileged, and we owe to be more efficient in everything. Perfection can be achieved, goals have to get higher.
If you roam around, the most popular searches on the internet are about ‘Stop procrastinating’ and ‘Increase your productivity’, ‘How to start a side hustle from home’. Then there are all the ‘Declutter your house and your life will change’, ‘How to be more sustainable’ articles, videos and podcasts and of course ‘How to practise mindfulness’, ‘Top meditation techniques’ and endless ASMR videos.
We have arrived to the point that we even have to make the most out of our relaxation. You cannot just chill, you have to meditate, do breathing exercises, Tai Chi, yoga otherwise you are not relaxing enough or in the right way.
How did the Hustle culture begin?
It is not a new term, but in the sense that we are using it broadly now, it began during the recession of 2008, when the long hours and second-jobs became popular among younger generations. It felt like working more hours and starting a side business is the way to achieve success in a tough economic climate. Our obsession with hustling had great effects on our mental health. We are now seeing record-high levels of stress, anxiety, and anger.
We are not stupid. We can relax, and when we relax, we are on a mission to do it right.
Not only that, but we will research, read blogs, watch videos, download apps, listen to podcasts. Videos related to guided meditation or with “guided meditation” in the title have also been particularly popular, earning over 100 million views since March 15, 2020. We compare and contrast and our mission is to find the holy grail of Relaxation, the ultimate guide that will guarantee you reach Nirvana during your 28-minute lunch break.
I have recently come across a TikTok where the Dalai Lama is asked what would be his advice for people with anxiety. His reply:
“Too much self-centred attitude,
me, me, me, me,
then anxiety.
The antidote of self-centred attitude: Altruism.”
Hey, maybe we will get an app for that.
In any case there are ways to fight anxiety.
Number one is talking to a mental health professional, a support group or a friend. The healthy release of emotions in a controlled, safe environment can be beneficial, since you accept the fact that you have anxiety and gradually let it go.
Stop multitasking. Instead of increasing productivity, you actually pay less attention to each individual task, therefore you are less focus and effective.
Learn to say no. Refusing to participate, in many cases can be the best way to actually relax, who would have thought?
Live in the present. Stop thinking what you should have done, or what you have to do in the future and just focus on what you are doing now. Try to stop over-planning, booking tasks months in advance will not help you relax.
Have fun and laugh. When you are having a good time it’s easier to forget about your anxiety.
Take a break from the internet. Says the article on a blog on the internet.
References:
The Truth About the Hustle Culture
Stop Idolizing Hustle Culture And Do This Instead
Hustle Culture: How “Every Day I’m Hustlin’” Became a Mantra
fastcompany.com
thinkwithgoogle.com
How to stop multitasking
Photo by Luis Villasmil on Unsplash
