Hustling and grinding are highly rewarded within our society. Many positive things can come from working hard and staying in the grind mindset. However, while this state of mind may sometimes be beneficial, it can also be detrimental to your mental health if not balanced.
Potential Concerns
There are many potential concerns and harmful aspects involved with grinding yourself into hard work. Temporarily, it may help you accomplish some of your goals; however, in the long run, it is not a sustainable mindset.
It can be easy to bury yourself in work and forget to take care of yourself in other aspects of your life. The following concerns are important to consider when working to overcome substance use disorder (SUD) and feeling stuck in the grind mode throughout your recovery:
Too Fast-Paced
The grind mode is often very high-paced. This can cause high levels of anxiety for some individuals and often opens up room for more mistakes to be made.
Increased Stress
It is easy to become stressed with this mentality. No matter how much you work to achieve your goals, there will always be something more on the to-do list.
Feelings of Discouragement
It is common to feel high levels of discouragement in this state of mind. As you are working to accomplish so much, it often may feel that you are never doing enough to reach your goals.
Less Balance in Life
This mind state often encourages your life to be thrown off balance. When in recovery from addiction, it is essential to try and keep your life balanced and structured healthily.
Physical Exhaustion
Physical exhaustion is commonly experienced when working in a grind mode. Without giving your body a proper resting period, you can experience long-term physical damage depending on the work you are engaging in.
Techniques to Relax
As many negative aspects exist with working in a grind mode mentality, it is not always easy to adjust this mindset. Nonstop hard work is often praised within our society, so you may fear judgment from others in society by straying away from this mode of work. Stepping out of the grind mode and learning how to relax every once in a while can provide you with many benefits to help you healthily reach your goals.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that focuses on tensing your muscles and relaxing them, moving through each body part at a time. This relaxation technique focuses on one muscle group at a time, engaging the muscles for approximately five seconds, then relaxing for five seconds. Doing this three to four times can help your body feel more aware of its surroundings and reach a state of muscle relaxation.
Breathwork
Focusing on your breathing is a great way to step back and relax at any given moment. This technique can be applied nearly anywhere and at anytime. Take deep breaths in and out, filling your lungs fully with air, then releasing all the negative energy out of your body. Breathwork is a great way to alter your state of consciousness and bring yourself to a level of emotional stability through a simple action we do consistently, breathing.
Prayer
If you feel the struggle between working hard and getting in the grind mode or relaxing and taking the time to care for yourself, you may find the answer within a prayer. Praying is a great way to help calm your emotions and be guided in the direction that will most benefit you.
There are times when hard work is necessary and times when relaxation is needed. Praying can be a great technique to help differentiate the right approach for your current situation and do what you feel is best for you moving forward. Use the power of prayer to help you overcome the mental state of pushing, grinding, and implementing care for yourself.
Give Yourself a Break
To fully step out of the grind mentality, it is essential to take a break. Give yourself a full day, even an entire week, away from the stress of hustling to achieve your goals. Take a day to do something enjoyable, leaving your worries behind you for the day. Having a stress-free and fun day is a great way to relax your mind and have a clear mindset moving forward.
By trying some of these relaxation techniques, you can calm your body and mind from the stressors that arise when in a grind mode. This can allow you to return to this state at times you feel are necessary while simultaneously taking care of your mental and physical health.
When working through the recovery process and developing a life outside of treatment, you may fall into the heavy mindset of work. Grinding through work as a distraction and keeping yourself busy is a common way to hide from external stressors in a world after treatment. Grinding through the recovery process and working on yourself at an accelerated rate can also have its damages. There are many concerns when you put too much into one aspect of life, throwing your life off balance. It is essential to take a break once in a while and give yourself the relaxation you deserve. As you continue to work through recovery and live your life on a spiritual basis, we hope you can find a balance between hard work and relaxation. To learn more about letting go of the grinding and how to relax, contact Renaissance Ranch at (801) 308-8898.