Hustle when you have to, let tech do the rest.

I’m here to dispel a false narrative that carries through to businesses of all shapes and sizes in the modern work environment. Often, it’s not even spoken out loud. It’s simply part of our shared work culture. Here’s the myth:

If you’re not hustling 100% of the time, you’re not doing enough.

As Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian puts it: “This idea that unless you are suffering, grinding, working every hour of every day, you’re not working hard enough…this is one of the most toxic, dangerous things in [business] right now. It has deleterious effects not just on your business but on your wellbeing.”

Hustling 100% of the time is harmful to your health? I agree 100%.

I have always believed that the notion of "work-life balance" is bogus. Life isn't meant to be lived in balance. Life is an optimization equation. At any given time, each person is looking to optimize on a set of priorities that are most important to them. First, you must really be clear on what your true priorities are and use that to define what success will look like. This definition is very personal and will most likely vary from person to person.

It has been proven that small business owners are especially prone to overwork. According to a poll by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 33% of small business owners said they work at least 50 hours a week, while another 25% said they work more than 60 hours a week. Another study showed that 70% of business owners prefer to complete most tasks on their own. And herein lies the real crux of the issue: the resistance to delegate. Have I hit a nerve yet?

This hesitation to delegate, in conjunction with the myriad of small surprises you’re faced with during the course of a day, creates a disjointed, inefficient workday. You know what I’m talking about. This feeling of ineffectiveness leads to high frustration levels when you feel like you’re supposed to be a hyper-efficient, hustling work robot! Give yourself a break.

Actually, “hire” the right tools to give yourself a break. Technology can help you subtract many of the interruptions and disruptions that occur, giving you back precious minutes (sometimes adding up to hours!) every day. Even better, technology can help you optimize your priorities—like spending time with your family and friends.

Okay, here’s where I have the opportunity to provide some assistance, because one of our products can help. AT&T Collaborate, is an intuitive solution that can help manage your workflow, maximize your productivity, and hopefully add some sanity back into your life.

Communicate more efficiently

Did you notice I misspelled “efficiently”? I did that purposefully to illustrate the kinds of mistakes that happen when you spend too much time answering emails! According to the Harvard Business review, “The average professional spends 28% of the work day reading and answering email…that amounts to a staggering 2.6 hours spent, and 120 messages received per day.” And while the article says those numbers are staggering, I’m guessing for any number of small business owners reading this, that’s not surprising at all. That’s why I love the instant message feature of AT&T Collaborate, which circumvents the inbox vortex, letting you fire off quick texts instead.

Many business owners are always on the move. AT&T Collaborate lets you switch between your office phone and your cell phone so you can continue an important call as you head to an off-site meeting. And as someone who thrives on face-to-face chats, I love the feature that lets you switch to a video call without having to drop the conversation.

Share work faster

If you’ve worked on projects with remote employees, team members, partners, or even customers, you’ve dealt with the occasional cumbersome attachment. You know the one. It’s so bulky that it slows your progress to an absolute crawl. AT&T Collaborate lets you avoid sending every file by using screen sharing alongside voice calls to discuss projects and make changes in real time, and it helps to speed up the revision and approval process.

Delegate & Collaborate

As I mentioned in my introduction, there’s a temptation for small business owners to do everything themselves. And, while even reading the word “delegate” may give you sudden agitation, it’s important for your health and the health of your business to hand over the reins on certain tasks or projects to your employees. With AT&T Collaborate, files can be uploaded to the team workspace, allowing other employees to share and edit from nearly anywhere. Work can continue as you move on to tasks that need a little more of your personal attention. And instead of running to a meeting when your home office or shop needs you, let an employee go and video call you in.

AT&T Collaborate isn’t a panacea for small business owners trying to manage their hectic day. But it is an effective tool to help you save time. It’s then up to you to spend that saved time on something you cherish. For me, that means spending more time in the field with my customers and my people, helping them unleash their fullest potential—whether that be personally, professionally or both!

So, how about joining me in hustling smarter, not hustling harder?