My 4 Secrets to Hustling Without Burning Out

Whenever I dare to use the word “hustle” on my Twitter, the backlash is swift and instant: “Don’t be one of thoseentrepreneurs,” people say, “the kind who says the only way to succeed is to just work, work, work all the time.” 

But I’m not one of “those” people. I’ve raised four kids while building my businesses. It would have been physically impossible for me to work around the clock, even if I wanted to. 

I run a company focused on healthier living. Working long hours without meaningful rest is an unsustainable way to approach business (and life). When I meet someone who brags about 20-hour days and rarely taking time off, I don’t see hustle. I see burnout waiting to happen. I’ve been building my business for nearly 15 years, and I would have never been able to last this long if I worked punishing hours.   

It’s true that you need a certain amount of hustle to succeed as an entrepreneur. But the word itself needs a rebrand. To me, hustling means consistently doing the best you can to move your business forward. And there’s no way I could have created the number one independently owned non-alcoholic beverage company in the U.S. without it. 

So let’s reclaim the word “hustle.” With just a little shift in perspective, it truly can help you succeed, while also maintaining a healthy and full life. Here are my secrets to hustling your company forward—without running yourself into the ground. 

1. Believe in what you do.

It’s much easier to sustain effort when you truly care about your work, but too few entrepreneurs admit that. Sure, hustling is important. But when you believe in your product, are connected to your company’s purposeand can envision your end goal, hustling feels less hard. It actually feels like a gift. How many people can say that they make a living doing what they love? I know my company is creating products that help people live happier and healthier, so coming to work every day is exciting and energizing—even if the days are sometimes a little long. So before you start doing the work, make sure the work you’re doing is worth your time and attention. 

2. Whistle while you work.

Even if you are passionate about your job, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds, trapped in a vicious cycle of stressing the small stuff and taking things too seriously. Yes, some days you will have to make tough calls or fight through challenges. But a lighthearted attitude will make the rough patches easier to handle. If you are constantly seeing your work through a life-or-death lens, the negativity and stress is going to wear you down fast. Repeat after me: Work can be important and fun.You can achieve big wins with your team andenjoy spending time together. You can do impactful work andhave an incredible time. These things aren’t mutually exclusive. 

3. Pursue other interests.

No matter how much you love your career, you can’t spend all your time and energy on it. When you make time for a personal life, you come back into the office every day refreshed, reinvigorated and with even more to give. Making space for other priorities—be it loved ones or a beloved hobby—can help you keep perspective and prevent the hustle from consuming every waking minute. In my case, having kids helped motivate me to work efficiently and get home at a reasonable hour. 

4. Learn to say “no.” 

If you want to find that “healthy hustle” sweet spot, you need to be unafraid of setting boundaries. As an entrepreneur, there will alwaysbe more work. There were so many days when I looked at my to-do list and thought, There’s no way this will all get done, I’m going to have to be here all night!But then I thought about my other priorities and had to get real with myself. I would ask: What’s truly urgent and what’s important, but can get done later? Better yet: What’s not important anymore and can be removed from the list entirely? What do I actually have to do myself versus a task that can be delegated? Getting good at this type of triage will keep you moving forward, but at a healthy, steady and sustainable pace. 

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Let’s Connect! Find me onTwitter(@KaraGoldin), and DM me your burning business questions and/or comments. 

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–basedhint?, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. Listen to her podcast, Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.