Lies We Tell Startups : You should always hustle. If you’re not always hustling, you’re a loser and you’ll never be successful. This is one of the lies we tell startups and entrepreneurs. I completely disagree with this sentiment because it focuses on the wrong thing – it focuses on time spent instead of productivity and output.
Focusing on putting in the time also creates a bad work environment that leads to lower productivity, burnout and employee turnover.
Face time
Putting in “face time” is a common thing in corporate American. When I worked in New York it was expected that you’d put in long hours, even if you had nothing to do. It’s common to see analysts sitting at their desks pretending to work. Just waiting for their boss to go home so they can follow.
It’s all appearances and it’s bad for both the company and the employee. Bad because employees who work in a culture that expects face time are less happy. They know they’re wasting time.
It’s bad for the company because they don’t get the best our of their employees and don’t retain the top talent.
In addition, it causes stress for both entrepreneurs and their employees because everyone feels guilty when not working. Being away from work creates a sense of anxiety and anxiousness and makes it harder to relax and enjoy yourself on nights and weekends.
Unused vacation time due to hustle
This is why most Americans in the corporate world can’t bring themselves to take a day off. Americans leave 41% of vacations days unused totaling 658 million, according to a recent study. When people do take vacation, the majority admit to spending most of it on their laptop or cell phone working and checking in with the office.
Is that the kind of life you want? Chained to work? No thank you.
The companies that are winning are doing so by creating a great lifestyle for employees and even considering shorter workdays or workweeks. Productivity goes up, which leads to happier employees who stick around longer, happier founders because they have a better lifestyle and often a more profitable company.
Watch the video below to explore more about the culture of “Hustle.”