In today’s fast-paced world, the pressure to “hustle hard” is stronger than ever. But for moms running businesses, hustle culture often feels more like a burden than a path to success. Many ambitious moms feel the constant push to do it all—build a business, manage family life, and somehow make it look effortless. The question is, is hustle culture truly helping us, or is it holding us back?
In this post, we explore a refreshing perspective shared by Dana Malstaff and bestselling author Jadah Sellner, author of She Builds: The Anti-Hustle Guide to Grow Your Business and Nourish Your Life. Together, they discuss redefining success, setting sustainable goals, and why breaking free from hustle culture can make all the difference. If you’re tired of feeling pressured to hustle at the expense of your well-being, read on for practical strategies and mindset shifts to create a fulfilling, sustainable path forward as a Boss Mom.
Let’s dive into the conversation and discover how you can achieve your big dreams without falling into the hustle trap.
What is Hustle Culture and Why It’s Not Working for Boss Moms
In today’s business world, hustle culture is still here, making us feel like we’re constantly not doing enough. Dana and Jadah explore how hustle culture can push moms into believing that “hustle hard” is the only way to achieve success, often at the expense of their own well-being. Jadah notes that hustle culture makes many of us feel like we’re behind or not measuring up.
Jadah’s Perspective on Hustle Culture:
“Hustle culture isn’t working for us, especially for women and moms. It tricks us into thinking we’re always behind and not doing enough. Women are carrying the invisible workload at home and in business, which makes this pressure to hustle even more harmful.”
The conversation highlights a common struggle: the fear of not hustling enough. This fear creates confusion about how to balance ambition with sustainable living, making moms feel torn between their drive to succeed and their need for balance.
Embracing Seasonality Over “Hustle Hard” to Sustain AmbitionOne powerful alternative to hustle culture is recognizing and respecting the natural seasonality of life and business. Dana and Jadah emphasize that every mom’s energy and focus ebb and flow with the demands of family life, business needs, and personal well-being.
Dana reflects on how seasonality plays a role in her daily life, saying,
“I work at night sometimes, or during nap times—whatever works with the family schedule. We’re often judged by hustle culture if we don’t follow a ‘normal’ workday, but it’s about what works for us as moms.”
Jadah adds that she and her husband conduct an annual Couples Retreat every February to plan for the year. This approach respects the rhythm of family life rather than forcing January deadlines that hustle culture often promotes. By embracing seasonality, moms can focus on their ambition without burning out, allowing for both professional growth and personal fulfillment.
Hustle Culture and the Pressure to Do It All: Choosing “Get To” Over “Have To”
Dana and Jadah discuss the difference between feeling pressured to “hustle hard” and approaching work with a “get to” mentality. Many moms find themselves trapped in a cycle of endless tasks because hustle culture tells them they must do it all. Shifting from “I have to” to “I get to” brings more intention and joy to the journey.
Jadah’s approach to work, particularly on weekends, reflects this mindset:
“I love working on a Saturday when it’s quiet and there are no emails. It’s not about the hustle; it’s about deep, creative work that I enjoy.”
Navigating Emotional Labor in Hustle Culture: Moms Never Have 100% Focus
As moms, achieving 100% focus is rare. Dana and Jadah talk about the unique emotional labor moms carry. Even when working, moms are often mentally “tracking” their children—worrying about school, safety, friendships, and more. Hustle culture doesn’t account for this emotional labor, adding pressure to stay 100% focused on work when that’s nearly impossible.
Dana shares her perspective:
“People say to ‘put your phone away’ to focus, but as a mom, I can’t. If my child needs me, I need to be available. Moms don’t have the luxury of completely unplugging, and that’s okay. We’re present in our own way.”
This highlights why hustle culture is unrealistic for moms. Instead of pressuring themselves to “hustle hard” with 100% focus, moms can embrace flexibility, knowing that the way they balance family and work is unique and valuable.
Hustle Culture vs. Immersive Creation: Finding Your Own Flow
In a world that idolizes daily productivity, hustle culture often disregards the power of immersive work. Jadah introduces the concept of “immersive creation” as an alternative to hustle. She describes how she writes best on solo retreats, where she can focus deeply without distractions.
“I’m not a daily writer; I’m an immersive creator. I need a few days away to dive deep into a project. Hustle culture pushes daily output, but I’ve learned what works best for me as a mom and entrepreneur.”
This approach allows moms to engage fully in creative work without feeling pressured to “hustle hard” every single day. Finding your flow—whether it’s working in bursts, on retreats, or during specific times—helps you break free from hustle culture and embrace a sustainable way to create and grow.
How to Break Free from Hustle Culture: Jadah’s “Slow Cooker” Mindset
Dana and Jadah discuss how success doesn’t have to happen overnight. Jadah offers a metaphor that perfectly describes the anti-hustle mindset:
“Give yourself permission to be a slow cooker, not a pressure cooker. In a slow cooker, you can put everything in, walk away, and let it simmer. Hustle culture is like a pressure cooker—fast and intense, but often overwhelming.”
Moms juggling family and business often can’t sustain pressure-cooker-level speed. Embracing a slow-cooker approach means allowing goals to develop over time. Dana encourages moms to see that they can still be highly successful while honoring the demands of motherhood.
Prioritizing What Matters: The Anti-Hustle Approach to Setting Goals
Both Dana and Jadah agree that the hustle culture mindset encourages doing “all the things” to keep up. From building funnels to being everywhere on social media, the pressure can be paralyzing. Jadah recommends focusing on fewer, high-impact activities rather than spreading yourself too thin.
She advises,
“Track your time and conduct an energy audit to identify what’s draining or fueling you. Use that information to structure your week, focusing on ‘profitable priorities’ that move the needle in your business without the burnout.”
By focusing on tasks that truly drive growth, moms can achieve big goals without subscribing to the hustle hard mentality. This anti-hustle approach allows moms to prioritize what truly matters in both business and family life.
A Practical Exercise: How to Start Breaking Free from Hustle Culture
If you’re ready to break free from hustle culture, start by tracking your time and conducting an energy audit. Here’s how to do it:
- Track Your Time: For one week, write down how you spend each hour of the day, including family, work, and self-care time.
- Conduct an Energy Audit: For each task, note whether it energized or drained you. Use this information to identify the tasks that matter most.
- Focus on Profitable Priorities: Dedicate your most energized times to high-impact, revenue-generating tasks, rather than getting stuck in busy work.
This exercise can reveal where you’re investing time in things that don’t serve your long-term goals and allow you to focus on what really counts.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Have to Hustle Hard to Succeed
Dana and Jadah remind us that the most fulfilling path to success doesn’t require hustle culture’s relentless “hustle hard” mentality. Moms can set realistic timelines, focus on impactful tasks, and allow themselves to grow at their own pace. By breaking free from hustle culture, you’re not only nurturing your business—you’re nurturing yourself and your family.
If you’re ready to find support from like-minded women, join us in BossMom+, where we’re all about community, support, and sustainable success. BossMom+ is where you’ll find the resources and connections to help you grow without burning out. Head to BossMom.com/join to become part of a movement that celebrates building a life and business on your own terms.
Join the Anti-Hustle Movement Today
If this conversation resonated with you, consider how you can break free from hustle culture and redefine what success looks like for you. Give yourself permission to slow down, prioritize what matters, and build a fulfilling life without burning out.
