Falling for Hustle Culture

Confession time: I fell hard for Hustle Culture. It was the grind, the glory, the never-ending to-do lists. But my babes? Oh, they humbled me. They slowed me down in ways I didn’t know I needed. However, I’m still married to a Hustle Culture husband, and let me tell you, work-life balance is not exactly his strong suit. The man is a tornado of projects, responsibilities, and ambition. Meanwhile, we’re out here being BUSY—like REALLY busy.

Let me paint a picture: I work full-time in a job that requires me to be available 24/7. I answer phone calls to “chat” (you know, those fun last-minute work requests that somehow feel personal but also professional) at 5 a.m. or 10 p.m. And honestly? I’m okay with it because I love what I do. But here’s the twist—before kids, I was working 60-hour weeks purely for the grind. Making money was the goal, but the joke was on me: I didn’t even have time to enjoy it! My version of “fun” was responsibly paying for grad school out of pocket, crushing debts, buying a house, and throwing every spare dime into retirement.

Cue the wake-up call.

By my late 20s, I realized I was missing out on actual life. So in 2019, I took a major pay cut, met my now-husband that December, and started our family the following year. Fast forward to now: married with two kiddos, working a job that’s less demanding on paper but still fulfilling (and honestly, still chaotic). The transition wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.

Here’s the thing, though: hustle is in my blood. I can’t just sit still. With one kid, I could juggle it all. I had a presence at work events—business breakfasts, luncheons, after-hours gatherings. I was that overachiever on multiple committees and boards. But with baby number two? Yeah, that came to a screeching halt. Now, it sometimes feels like I’m slacking. Truth is, all that extra stuff was just that: extra. I’m still doing my job, still crushing my tasks—just not killing myself in the process.

Let’s just say I married a 40-something-year-old vagabond with a love for travel, work, and, you guessed it, hustle. He’s an entrepreneur with a growing YouTube channel, works for Food & Farm, and serves as the Executive Chef for our state parks. Oh, and he’s on ALL the boards and committees. I should’ve known what I was signing up for when I said “I do,” right? While I sometimes wish he was more of a stay-home-and-craft-with-the-kids kind of guy, I’ve come to appreciate his effort. He hustles because he loves it, and I’ve learned to pivot away from that mindset.

The truth about hustle:

Recently, I had the privilege of doing mock interviews for senior university students. I made it a point to tell them: Be happy. Not just at work—in your everyday life. Take breaks, breathe, and find moments that matter. Hustle culture will eat you alive if you let it. And honestly? I’m still learning this lesson myself. I don’t take lunch breaks or even quick breathers because I’m wired to power through. But life isn’t about just getting through—it’s about being present.

One moment stuck with me. I asked the students to describe themselves in three words. Most of them defaulted to professional terms. So I stopped them: “No, not at work. Just YOU. Who are you as a person?” One young woman, after some thought, said “sparkly.” SPARKLY. And I told her, “Never lose that.”

So here’s my advice to you, dear reader: Don’t kill yourself for a job. At the end of the day, what matters is coming home to your kids, your family, your quiet space, your beer, or that perfectly brewed cup of tea. Make time to sleep (seriously, sleep is important). Love yourself.

When you slow down, you’ll find that you might just love your job more. You’ll love life more. Find joy in the little things, because at the end of the day, that’s what makes it all worth it.