With So Much Going On, Can We Safely Say that Coronavirus Killed Hustle Culture?
Here we are in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic trying to navigate this a world of uncertainly. Our previous lives full of hustle, put on hold. Many of us feel overwhelmed and anxious about what the future holds. We may be reminiscing of the past and the things we lost so fast. Or, we may feel afraid of the many unknowns coming our way. We worry about our health, our families, our work, the economy. We wonder, “When will this end? Will life ever be what it used to be like or, is this the new normal?”
To flatten the curve, many of use have stayed at home for weeks. For those of us who can work from home, we are facing a new set of challenges—finding space, new routines, new ways of communication. We struggle to focus during the chaos. Still, millions have lost their jobs due to the crisis. Amid a life-threatening situation posed by coronavirus, did we lose the one thing we knew so well how to do—hustle?
I see the articles and posts on social media about doing more: “Now Is the Time to Get Your Side Hustle On,”; “Tips to Be Productive from Home,”; “Now Is the Time to Learn a New Hobby,” or “; Declutter Your House in a Week.”
During Coronavirus Pandemic Give Yourself Permission to Kill The Hustle
We strive to stay busy. To occupy every single minute of our days with things to do. We continue to equate our self worth with accomplishments and checked-off to-do lists. We are guilted into being productive by our bosses, ourselves, the news and social media. Companies such as the Wall Street Journal are asking their remote employees to respond to messages within minutes.
The time is now to take a pause. To be less self-critical and more compassionate. To take time to evaluate what really matters. To find time to contemplate.
You don’t have to start a new hustle. You don’t have to clean up your wardrobe. You don’t have to respond within minutes. You don’t have the write the next best-selling book.
The time is now to give yourself space. To allow yourself to do nothing. To take time for what your heart and soul desires. To call an old friend. To talk to your family as much as you need to. To sit still and simply be. To show weakness, to cry and to be yourself.
“It was morning, now is evening, and nothing memorable is accomplished."
So what if you decide to find joy in doing nothing for a moment? Would this moment be less complete than a moment full of doings? There’s merit in deep contemplation and non-attachment to any goal other than the sheer pleasure of just being.
Find Joy in Non-Doing
The non-doing paradox is something so few of us understand. We busy ourselves. We fill our time with must do’s out of desires. As Jon Kabat -Zinn wrote in his book Wherever You Go There You Are, “The flavor and the sheer joy of non-doing are difficult for Americans to grasp because our culture places so much value on doing and in progress. Even our leisure tends to be busy and mindless. The joy of non-doing is that nothing else needs to happen for this moment to be complete”.
So, take a moment to just be. Leave all these hustle culture messages unnoticed. At this moment, right at this moment, there’s nothing else that needs to happen to make it complete. It already is.
Give yourself permission to do nothing. Nothing at all. Even if it’s just for a few moments. Say no to Hustle Culture during Coronavirus pandemic. And maybe life will be better on the other end.