Eliminate Hustle: Understanding Burnout and how hustle culture might just be the culprit.

In Autumn, as the weather starts to cool and the pace of every day life starts to pick back up after a long summer, the days begin to get a little shorter and the ‘to do’ a list a little longer, and maybe, just maybe you are feeling the good ol’ hustle habit start to slip back in to your life.

As we keep walking on a path to Eliminate Hustle this article explores burnout, what it is and how hustle culture might just be the culprit + 3 things you can do today to help stop chronic stress, chronic pain and overwhelm (as a result of burnout) in it’s tracks.

What is Hustle Culture?

You might not recognise hustle culture, this is because for so many of us it shows up, as just the daily norm!

Sad but true.

In today's fast-paced world, hustle culture glorifies constant busyness and the relentless pursuit of goals, and so many of us are stuck in the hustle trap…so much so, it just feels like it’s what we are meant to be doing! Everyone else is so it’s normal right?!

The thing is, this hustle mindset can have detrimental effects on our mental and physical health, wreaking havoc on our nervous system and bringing about chronic stress, chronic pain and burnout!

Feels exhausting just reading about it right!?

Everywhere you look there are messages glorifying hustle culture and whilst it can seem like an appealing and fast tracked approach to getting ahead, to being successful in all that you do…sorry to say…this ain’t quite true!

Why?

Because hustle is not sustainable!

Recognising Burnout

Eventually, all that hustle will have you feeling pretty bloody stressed and exhausted, yet we keep going, until we reach high levels of stress and exhaustion, and then further, beyond stress and exhaustion, there is burnout!

Burnout isn't just feeling tired, stressed or exhausted my friend, it’s a deeper state of chronic stress that manifests as symptoms of persistent fatigue, cynicism, irritability, difficulty concentrating, decreased productivity, heightened anxiety, less capacity to allow all emotions to exist and chronic pain.

If you have noticed dramatic changes in mood, reduced energy levels, and your outlook on life has dimmed, you may be experiencing burnout.

Burnout is commonly associated with the workplace, or working in general, with those suffering burnout reporting feeling like they are not valued, dealing with frustrating behaviours of colleagues and unrealistic expectations on the individuals’ capacity to meet the demands of the role…sounds like the day to day life of most women I know - am I right! 🤔 And can be especially true for those of us juggling life, work and parenting!

It’s not all doom and gloom though!

Having conversations like this, we can start to get better at recognising burnout early, which helps us to do something about it. 😊

Hello consistent yoga practice…

Yoga offers an holistic approach to moving through and beyond burnout, holistic because in a yoga practice we nurture both the body and mind.

A yoga practice brings you into mindful movement, breathwork, and relaxation techniques, helping to discharge the fight/flight/freeze stress cycle and regulate the nervous system.

There is no quick fix (sorry 🤷‍♀️) however over time, and with regular practice you will start to notice a shift. A consistent practice helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, switching on the body's natural relaxation response and counteracting the chronic stress of hustle culture.

So where to start?

3 yoga poses to get you started on your journey to saying goodbye to burnout:

These 3, beginner friendly, yoga practices will help you begin to prevent and alleviate symptoms of burnout, better navigate the constant noise created by hustle culture and feel free from stress, overwhelm and chronic pain.

ONE: Child's Pose (Balasana):

This gentle forward fold stretches the spine, hips, and thighs while promoting relaxation. Focus on deep belly breathing to release tension from the body and mind. To come into this pose, start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees then gently move backwards so the glutes rest on the heels or are tracking in that direction. Option to take the knees wide for a more restorative shape or pop a bolster/pillows under your belly for extra support.

TWO: Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana):

This inversion pose elongates the spine, stretches the hamstrings, and calms the mind. Inverted positions help increase blood flow to the brain, reducing stress and fatigue.

Start by lying on your belly, gently press into the hands as you send the hips high, add a little movement bending the knees one by one then find stillness, heels melting towards to earth. Keep knees bent if your heels are not in contact with the ground. Stay for 5 or so rounds of breath.

THREE: Corpse Pose (Savasana):

Savasana allows the body and mind to fully surrender and unwind. Lay flat on your back, close your eyes, and focus on deep breathing. Let go of tension in every muscle, allowing yourself to enter a state of deep relaxation. Stay here for 5mins or longer for a deeper rest.

💕

Much magic to you 🌙

Kerry x.

Glimmer Yoga ✨🤍✨