“I’m grinding when you’re sleeping” – Gary Vaynerchuk
My first thought when I saw this quote was, “You do you, Gary. I need my sleep.”
I like a lot of what Gary V says but I don’t agree with everything he says. Just like I’m not going to agree 100% with what any guru I follow says, and neither will you. And the reason for that is simply that success means something different for all of us. For some, it is all about the hustle. But for some of us, we want a different kind of life!
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve sacrificed sleep and other things plenty of times in my quest to build my business, but it’s not something I want to do. I’m not a workaholic.
I became one though to build my business. And here’s the thing, once you get into that hustle mentality, it’s really hard to get out of it.
I’m a worker and I know how to work hard, but from the time I was 18 until I started my business at 38, work was at work. It wasn’t something I could take home. I might occasionally take frustrations and worries home but not the actual work itself. So there was a natural boundary.
Working from home, well that was different. The boundary line is not as clear. Your work is always with you!
Starting off, I had to work in my spare time because I was still full-time at Walmart. But last year when I finally retired from Walmart and went full time in my business, I still found myself working in my spare time.
I was working weekends – even if was just on my own work, not client work. Working evenings, even though my hours are 9am to 4pm. Feeling like I had to “make up” time if I needed to take a day off during the week. Feeling guilty if I wasn’t working. (Crazy, right? But maybe you can relate.)
That hustle mindset was too ingrained by that point.
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t build my business to be working all the time. I built my own business to have more control over my own schedule and life. And I didn’t really have a life because all I did was work.
But I decided 2021 would be different. And I’m happy to say I’ve found balance again!
Here’s what I did to get out of that hustle mindset
I stopped working weekends even for my own projects. Instead, from 8am to 9am I work on my projects and business tasks.
I don’t makeup days. If I need a morning or a day off, that is my choice. The whole point of being in charge of my own schedule was so I could be there when my family and friends need me without needing to request days off or makeup days. That old Walmart mentality is finally gone!
I work my set client hours of 9am to 4pm, Monday thru Friday. Come 4pm, I am done.
Also, I am way more productive knowing that I’m only going to be working certain hours. And if a client sends a request late in the day, I let them know I can’t tackle it until the next day. Or if they send a request late in the week, I let them know it will be the next Monday. (Obviously not emergency requests, but other less timely ones. )
I stopped feeling guilty when I don’t work extra. This took work and practice. Guilt will occasionally still rear its ugly head, but I’ve made major progress.
I do want to say that if a client has a big project or launch that requires some work outside my regular hours, I’m happy to help them. Part of what I love about what I do is helping them succeed, so I’m willing to bend my “rules” on occasion. 🙂
The great thing about my clients though, is they truly do respect my time and boundaries. At times, they were better about it than I was!
What Success Means to Me
Something else that helped me get out of the hustle mindset was reminding myself what success actually means to me.
Success for me does not mean a 6 or 7-figure business. It doesn’t mean a team of people working for me. Or getting up every day at 5am. There’s nothing wrong with those things. They just aren’t for me. Instead here is what success looks like for me:
- Not waking up to the sound of an alarm clock.
- Being able to pay all the bills and have money left over to save, keep the fur babies in treats, and do the things my husband and I want to do.
- Having weekends off.
- Not having to ask someone else if I can take a vacation or have a day off.
- Working with clients who are passionate about what they do and helping them have less stressful lives.
- Being able to be there for my family and friends when they need me.
This is my idea of success and what gets me excited about my life!
If you enjoy the hustle, then good for you! I know many people who thrive from it! I’m not one of them though. So. if you’re like me and are stuck in that hustle mentality and want out, hopefully my story will help you! You can get out of it and find the work/life balance you want.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the “hustle!” Tell me where you stand in the comments!
