The hustle mentality is a sure way to end up with burnout. But there’s an increase in the number of people who feel this is the only way to succeed as a business owner. I’m anti-hustle because it is not sustainable.
The word “Hustle” usually means you are overworked, stressed out, burning the candle at both ends, and doing everything you can to get ahead. The problem is that that usually doesn’t happen, not to mention it just isn’t healthy.
I am growing my business while working a day job. I’m all about having a side business that generates some extra income and helps you achieve the success you desire. But this is your business! That means you control who you work with, how much you work, and how much you charge for your work. And you can achieve success on your own terms without adopting the hustle mindset.
I’m at a point in my life where I carve out time to care for my parents as they get older. Sometimes this means driving them to doctor appointments and doing some shopping with my mom or for my mom. She’s the primary caregiver for my dead who has some health issues. But I also have a family of my own to take care of, not to mention taking care of myself which I have gotten much better at.
I arrange my business to support what is most important to me which is my faith and my family. The hustle mentality doesn’t leave room for me to maintain my sanity, practice self-care, and do all the other things that must come first.
So here are three things I do to help me maintain a mentally sustainable business that you can do too.
Set goals to achieve your dreams not anyone else’s
Don’t let anyone else tell you what your business goals including your revenue goals should be. You’re creating a lifestyle business right? So who knows your lifestyle better than you? Nobody!
So you have my permission to determine what success means to you. Then you must make sure the way your business operates supports that. What you need to know about this is that changing how you measure your success starts with changing your mindset. Check out the blog post How to Measure Success When Building a Lifestyle Business if you want a simple process to help you define your own success.
Automate Tasks with Systems and Delegate What You Can
You can’t do it all yourself and you don’t have to. It takes a lot to build a business that supports your lifestyle opposed to one that controls your life. To make sure your business isn’t running you, make sure you create systems with automation. There are ways to automate a number of tasks. This will give you time to do other things that you enjoy. Whether it’s spending time with your family, showing yourself some love, taking time off, or working on your business. And you can create systems with tools that are FREE.
There are six core systems I recommend for every solopreneur whether you are just starting your business or not. Here are two blog posts to help you with that.
3 Sexy Systems You Need for Startup Success
3 Systems You Need in Your Sustainable Growth Strategy
Now I am a realist and let me tell you, you can’t automate everything. After you create systems, you need to decide if you want to delegate any tasks. This applies to your personal life and your business. We all have things that we are great at. And there are other things that someone else can do faster and better. So don’t be afraid to delegate tasks that aren’t your strengths. Even if they are your strengths, sometimes you need to delegate them to save time. That way you can focus on things that only you can do to grow your business.
To save time on personal tasks, get your groceries delivered. Set your family to pitch in and help out around the house. And accept help when someone offers it. When it comes to delegating business tasks, make sure your business is ready. Or that will create more problems than you can imagine. If you want some help with this process, start by getting systems in place. This blog post series will help you get prepared to outsource successfully.
Part 1: Debunking the Myths About Hiring a VA
Part 2: 3 Mistakes I Made When Hiring A VA and How You Can Avoid Them
Part 3: 3 Ways to Successfully Partner With a Virtual Assistant
Take breaks without feeling guilty
We’ve been through a lot over the past 18 months. Girl, you deserve some time off so don’t be afraid to take time even if it’s just to do NOTHING. Yes, even if it’s to do absolutely NOTHING. Read a book all day, binge watch something, paint, draw, take a long soak in the tub. My point is you need to do whatever you need to do to fill your cup up. Repeat this as often as your mind and body need it. That is what self-care is all about and you need to do it regularly.
Now how can you get your clients on board so they respect your boundaries and respect your time. Communicate your boundaries to them very clearly from the beginning. And as for existing clients, it’s never too late to re-train them. You just have to clearly communicate your boundaries with them as well. In the blog post Business Boundaries You Need to Protect What’s Important to You, I share three steps you can take to set boundaries, communicate them and stick to them. That way you can grow your business and enjoy life on your terms.
So I’m going to recap the three things you can do to cancel the hustle mentality and create sustainable success.
Set goals to achieve your dreams not anyone else’s
It’s your business which you created to support your lifestyle. So don’t let anyone else tell you what you need to do to achieve what they determine is success. You get to choose and work your business in a way that supports that.
Automate Tasks with Systems and Delegate What You Can
Superman only exists in cartoons and movies. So stop trying to do everything yourself. Create business systems with automation to complete tasks for you. For things that you can’t automate, delegate to others and be open to letting others help you.
Take breaks without feeling guilty
You work hard and you deserve some down time. If you don’t take care of yourself you won’t be available to care for anyone else. So start by putting boundaries around your business, communicating those to your clients and sticking to them. That way when you are supposed to be resting, your time will be respected.
If you’re looking to connect with other women who have ditched the hustle mentality, then I would love to have you inside my Facebook community. We’re a group of busy women building our businesses to support our lifestyle. I brainstorm with them and bounce ideas off of them which helps me get clarity. With their support, I feel empowered and excited as I grow my business and become a better woman, business owner and podcaster. If this sounds like something you’re looking for then feel free to join.
If you enjoyed listening to this post and are ready to ditch the hustle mentality, please let me know! Send me a DM on Instagram @the_shannonbaker. I would love to hear from you!
If you would like to hear the audio version of this post, feel free to listen to episode 85 on your favorite platform below.
