The REAL Problem With Hustle Culture
Plus, Movie Club is this week!
Movie Club Is THIS WEEK!
This THURSDAY (12/15/2022) at 8:30 PM EST is our Movie Club discussion where we will be talking about Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I look forward to hearing what you think! If you’d like to watch it with your friends, have them join the fun by becoming premium subscribers.
ANNOUNCING: This Month’s Book Club Selection
I’m excited to share this month’s book club selection! This month we are reading fiction (we switch up month-to-month), and I’m excited to get into the festive spirit. The book we will be reading is…The Christmas Bookshop! I chose something fun and easy to read as we get into the holiday spirit. I hope it makes us all feel warm and cozy!
What You Might Have Missed At Classically Abby…
Quote of the Week:
“There is nothing like a newborn baby to renew your spirit and to buttress your resolve to make the world a better place.” - Virginia Kelley
Classic Style Inspo
I remember growing up that wearing a shirt under a sundress was so unfashionable, but I did it anyways because it was modest. Nowadays, it’s a fashion trend! If you want to extend the longevity of your summer clothes, throw a turtleneck underneath a dress, pair it with tights and cute boots, and voila - your wardrobe is doing double duty for warm and cool seasons!
Things I’ve Been Loving: Flameless Candles
I recently bought these for home decor and I was so pleased that Jacob loved them! He told me how cozy the house felt and he even thought we should buy more. Anytime I buy decor that my husband notices, I feel so happy and I want to spread the joy! These glass candles are so well-made and they look so real at night. I highly recommend them!
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Hello classic crew and happy Tuesday! Did you do anything fun this weekend? We hosted my parents because Orthodox Jews don’t drive on Shabbat and it’s too far for them to walk, and we had the best time. They got to see our community and meet some of our friends, and Mr. Baby had a great time with his grandparents. On Sunday, Jacob and I had a really relaxed afternoon, taking it easy while spending tons of time together.
Which brings me to today’s article! Lately, I find that when I have a free moment or when I’ve completed my work for the day and I don’t have that much more to do, I start to get anxious. I start to look around for something to make myself “productive,” and I question whether I’m forgetting to do something or if I’m being lazy. Instead of relishing my free time, settling in with a good book or playing around with Mr. Baby, I feel like something is wrong.
Have you heard of “hustle culture”? According to Monster.com, it “refers to the mentality that one must work all day every day in pursuit of their professional goals.” Many people suffer with this mentality - that all of their free time must be used toward building something beyond where they are at. For example, I used to have to knit or draw or do something with my hands while Jacob and I watched movies together because I felt bad about simply sitting and enjoying quality time with him. Or if I started to enjoy a creative endeavor, I had to turn it into some sort of side hustle, otherwise it didn’t have value.
But this is such a mistake. Life is so much more than “hustling.” This is why I have become such a proponent of slow living over the course of the last year. Recognizing that it’s actually wonderful and Godly to enjoy the slowness of life, to enjoy His creation and the people around you, is the first step toward joyful peace. You don’t make yourself better by always having something to do, and you don’t make yourself a better friend or family member by never having time to spend with those you love.
The anxiety to pursue something “important” every moment of every day is exhausting. And it leads people to burn out and zone out rather than have meaningful downtime. There’s a huge difference between going all day long and crashing in the evening by zonking out in front of your phone, and working enough but cherishing those free moments by using them to enjoy life, enjoy alone time, or enjoy others. That can look like sitting with the sun on your face or reading a book or playing a board game with your friends. But it’s the kind of downtime that is valuable because it is used well, even if it’s not traditionally productive.
I have found that in those moments when I begin to feel stressed about not being busy enough, it’s important for me to take a deep breath and collect myself. Why am I getting worried? Did I get everything done and do I really have a free moment? What can I do with this time that I will look back on at the end of the day and feel gladness over? Usually I realize that I can use this time to enjoy my son, or catch up with Book Club, or maybe learn a new homemaking skill I can use in the future. And how productive is that?
I can’t think of anything more productive, to be honest.
I encourage you to embrace your downtime and eschew hustle culture if you are struggling in a similar way. Make your free moments intentional and you’ll feel so good about each day.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
I used to struggle with seeing my downtime as a treasure, but now I love taking time to do small things with great love, as Mother Teresa said.
I've gotten to a point where I schedule and plan downtime and time to play with my puppy and just sit and relax on the couch instead of always doing something. It makes a huge difference. I have found that even big tasks don't seem that big any more because I no longer use relaxing and downtime as a "reward" for completing tasks. I take time when I need it and I work on what needs to get done when I can. My fiance and I also have a rule that I don't do any housework (except the very basics like putting our plates away after dinner and stuff like that) when he's home in the evenings or when he has days off. Partially because, as a housewife, I keep house as my job so I need time off as well, but mostly because we want to be able to cherish the time that we have together, and we can't do that if I'm running around doing laundry or washing windows or whatever I manage to find to do!
I think that hustle culture has made people feel like there is no value in just being with the people you love and being happy in that moment, but there is SO much value to those calm, quiet moments together!