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America has a hustle culture - more is better. It is not just about work but also family and personal life as well. Yes, the work-life link makes it hard to separate the two. I get that. Not to mention, social and peer pressures promote this type of life style as productive and desirable.
When retired eight years ago, I bid farewell to that hustle culture. Never looked back ever since. And it was one of the best decisions I made. Often people ask what I do in my retirement and curious why I seemed happy. Oddly, few ever ask me: what am I not doing?
It turns out the most important thing is I've part ways with the hustle culture. No more competing with the Jones, no pressure to squeeze productivity out of every second of my life, and no rushing to meet busy schedules. In other words, I eliminate many of the sources that lead to burnout.
In hindsight my retirement wiped out the work portion of the equation. What left is my life to enjoy. But work-life balance needs not wait until retirement. In fact, self care is more crucial when work pressure is mounting. Simple acts such as a quality pause, a walk around the block, a change of scenery, or a quick check-in with the love ones can help in restoring the balance.
The key is stop buy-in to the hustle culture. It's a lie and a vicious trap that, if allowed, could be detrimental to our life.
Do you think the American can-do spirit is part of the hustle culture?
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