Productivity and "The Hustle"

"Hustle" is a seriously overused word in our world today. Everyone's chasing a side hustle or hustling to be the next best thing. This is exhausting; we weren't made to hustle.

There are two major reasons this kind of extreme productivity is attractive to so many of us. One is that we all long for stability, and we think whatever dollar amount that is just outside our reach is what will get us there. But I don't think that's true. According to my favorite, Jon Bellion, "Money is not the key to wealth..." Another reason hustling is prioritized is we want to feel purposeful and accomplished. Our purpose isn't rooted in our accomplishments, and being perceived as successful doesn't make us successful.

We weren't made to hustle, but we were made to rest. We were made with bodies that require 8 hours of sleep each day, further proving that a quiet, slower way of life is something we should consider seeking. Not everything we do needs to be purposeful or monetized. The most joyful things are the things that we do just because we like them. It's so easy to get caught up in the alternative though.

Now that I've attempted to debunk "the hustle," I'll segway into productivity, because that makes perfect sense, Jenn. Bear with me. I think productivity of the right kind is key to a slow, restful, and joyful life; that's my goal overall. A big factor to being productive is knowing oneself. The more I've worked closely with others, the more I've realized we all have different ways of completing tasks. Some of us (myself included) are starters. We jump in and might have a number of projects going at once. Some people are more one-at-a-time kind of task doers. Starting only happens when we know we have the time to see the project to completion. I'm also significantly more productive when I feel like I'm ahead of the game. Once I feel the pressure of a deadline, I start to struggle with motivation. When I was in grad school, I learned I'm more productive earlier in the day. What kind of person are you when it comes to tasks?

As humans we are so multi-faceted. There's always so much to learn about ourselves. I think prioritizing learning about how we are most productive can allow us to use our time wisely, which then can lead to more opportunities for quiet, slow moments, ultimately leading to a more fruitful and meaningful life.

In such a fast-paced world, we almost have to train ourselves to savor slowness. It can feel so uncomfortable at first. A couple of things that have helped me:

• recognizing that the to-do list will always exist. There will never be a time that I've completed everything on my list, and that's okay. Am I in a position where tasks can wait a beat? If so, I'm going to capitalize on that.

• making my space cozy. Seriously, I think I first started savoring slowness when I got an espresso machine and added a warm, tasty drink while curled up with a blanket and a book to my mornings. The occasional candle (or fireplace whenever humanly possible) can do wonders for my willingness to slow down.

• knowing that it's okay to feel slightly uncomfortable sometimes. Especially from the angle of my faith and relationship with God, I've come to realize that when I'm uncomfortable, I'm usually growing. One year for lent I decided to add in going to the physical church every day. I had been feeling really uncomfortable trying to join a new-to-me, small church community and thought that going every day would help me feel more at home. Initially, I felt like I was trespassing and would practically tiptoe around so as not to disturb anyone who might also be at the church. And then, suddenly, I felt confident and like I belonged. I try to remember that experience every time I'm working on something, and it isn't coming naturally at first. (Also WHY do I think that because I'm an "adult," I should be good at everything even when I haven't done it before?! More on that later, I'm sure.) All that to say, working on savoring slowness might feel boring or overwhelming or short-lived at first, but it gets better

• being willing to try new things. With the right mindset, anything can be a part of abandoning the hustle. It can be as simple as sitting down to eat a meal at a table instead of while working/consuming something, baking a new recipe just because, reading a book purely for enjoyment, or doing a puzzle just to take apart when finished.

There's the cliché that life goes so fast for a reason. It does, and suddenly our lives and our time with our loved ones will be gone one day. I don't want to spend my whole life chasing accomplishments or stability, hustling to get to the next thing. Instead, I want to take root and truly savor the gift of life I've been given. So here's to seeking slowness and breathing in the beauty of the ordinary, creating just to create, and not being afraid to simply exist.

-J