It's a New Year and perhaps we're hoping for positive changes. Maybe new direction in personal life or career. Each holiday season brings hustle and bustle to our lives. Hopefully, it's just a temporary seasonal tempo.
Lea Lis, MD, wrote for PSYCHOLOGY TODAY and describes “hustle culture” as a self-imposed or Social Media pressure that produces burnout. Dangerous and unrealistic expectations can lead to mental health decline. A current trend, seen all across social media platforms, relies on "self-care" (like taking a bath or getting your nails done) but that can hardly reprogram the stress we put our bodies through the moment we wake up and grab our phones.
• Hustle culture advocates using "me-time" as a band-aid for burnout, but this isn't enough.
• Addressing burnout properly starts with redefining what success means outside of a 40-plus-hour work week.
• Limiting smartphone time and spending money opens up more quality time with one's family to prioritize connection.
Imagine if we pressed a “pause” button before or after our workday to focus on what really matters in our lives—faith, family and friends.
Contrary to what we're led to believe, Social Media isolates us. We’re flooded with everybody else's "best and brightest" moments and end up unrealistically comparing ourselves to them. A major issue within hustle culture is that we aren't seeing the full scope of peoples' everyday lives—just a sunny snapshot.
Imagine the impact of the New Year if we paused and shifted our focus from screen time to time with God. And spending time with whom He says we’re truly connected, consciously carving out quality time for family and friends.
If you feel like you’re falling into a negative “hustle culture” cycle, the challenge is to define what success means outside the work week. Where do your relationships with others and your own mental health land on your priorities list? Let's all focus on positive adjustments to create a happier New Year, this year.
CHRISTIAN COUNSELING CENTER is here to help renew your mind and refresh your soul every day of the year. Call (203) 846-4626 to talk to us.
