Welcome to this week’s episode, we’re flipping the script on hustle culture and asking a bold question: Is 'hustle culture' totally toxic for neurodivergent brains?
We're looking at neurodivergent productivity tips to help you escape hustle culture! Learn how to manage energy, prevent burnout, and redefine success on your terms with practical advice and real-life strategies.
In a world obsessed with faster, bigger, and more, it’s easy to get caught up in hustle culture — the endless race to do all the things, all the time. But what if there was another way? A healthier, more sustainable approach to business that values quality over quantity, creativity over constant output, and wellbeing over burnout?
Neurodivergent individuals often thrive when they can work with their natural rhythms, rather than against rigid schedules or unrealistic expectations. Traditional hustle culture is all about speed, constant output, and 24/7 availability, which is a recipe for burnout, anxiety, and overwhelm for ND brains. We know, we have both been there and unfortunately got several ill-fitting t-shirts (with stains!).
If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly behind, not doing “enough,” or trapped in a cycle of work that drains your energy and joy, this episode is for you whether ND or not.
We're deliving into what productivity really means for neurodivergent folks, and spoiler alert: it’s NOT about grinding 24/7 or chasing someone else’s idea of success. From energy-based scheduling tips that actually work, to why “slow business” might just save your sanity.
Just like the slow food movement emerged as a response to the rush of fast food, the idea of Slow Business pushes back against the "go-go-go" mindset of modern work. It's about intentional growth, making thoughtful choices, and building a business that works with your energy and values - not against them. Instead of sprinting toward someone else's definition of success, Slow Business invites you to pause, breathe, and create at your own pace, while still thriving.
So sit back and listen to us as we plough through a plethora of personal anecdotes and hopeful help you redefine success on your terms along the way, this episode is packed with real talk, laughs, and some strong rants along the way.
Share with anyone who’s ready to leave hustle culture behind and build a healthier, happier way to work!
Don't forget to like, share and subscribe and send any questions or suggestions to: hosts@businessoddcast.com
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TIMELINE
00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:30 - The Gen Pop Struggle 00:04:03 - Topic of the Week00:05:30 - Asking is "Hustle Culture" toxic for NDs?00:07:00 - In business, when is enough, ENOUGH? 00:08:45 - Who conned us into needing all this shit?00:10:05 - Who gets to define our success?00:11:28 - Lifestyle risk, risking your health for little reward?00:13:30 - Fast Food = Fast Business, introducing Slow Business00:16:19 - Defining 'slow business' and redefining productivity00:17:03 - Stuart's rant about productivity, and sustainability. Buckle up. 00:20:04 - Why this need for more? When is 'just enough' going to be OK?00:20:55 - Stuart breathes and Hannah gets a word in... 00:20:56 - Redefining productivity... Hannah looks at ND productivity 00:22:03 - Rejecting the paradigm - forget 'hustle', 'happiness' the ultimate success metric00:24:00 - Stu on tracking mood, energy management and the stress of "success"00:24:41 - Stu story from working in the trenchs of the entertainment industry00:25:45 - Paying the price of success with your health, the trap of youthful energy.00:26:55 - Lifestyle inflation and brunout, stepping away from the corporate grind.00:27:25 - NDs clash with traditional productivity "standards" & the struggle with work00:28:07 - Exploring ND energy mapping, coping strategies to prevent burnout00:29:00 - Output alone is a poor measure of productivity for NDs00:29:43 - Creatives are not Monday mor
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