How to Work 80 Hours a Week and Still Be Broke: The Brutal Truth About Entrepreneurial ‘Productivity’

Stop Chasing Your Tail and Start Chasing Success (Without Losing Your Mind or Your Wallet)

Hey there, fellow hustler! So, you’ve finally done it—you’ve quit that boring 9-to-5, declared yourself an entrepreneur, and now you’re “living the dream.” Your dream of being glued to your laptop 24/7, constantly on calls, replying to WhatsApp messages from customers who think you’re their personal genie, and let’s not forget the endless battle with Canva trying to design your 47th Instagram post this week. Ah, the sweet life of the entrepreneur. But here’s the million-dollar question: If you’re working 80 hours a week, why the heck are you still broke?

Welcome to the harsh reality of entrepreneurial ‘productivity,’ where you’re busy all the time but never actually making any progress. It’s like running on a treadmill set to ‘insane’—you’re sweating bullets, you’re exhausted, but guess what? You’re not moving an inch. Today, we’re going to flip the script on this hustle culture nonsense and dive deep into why you’re stuck on the hamster wheel of doom and how to finally get off it. So grab your chai, kick back, and let’s get real.

The ‘Productivity’ Scam: Why You’re Always Busy But Never Rich

Let’s paint a picture: Meet Rajesh, your typical Indian digital coach living in Mumbai. Rajesh wakes up at 5 AM (because, you know, the 5 AM Club promises success, right?), does his meditation, writes down his goals, plans his day, and is ready to conquer the world. But by 9 PM, Rajesh is knee-deep in emails, managing his chaotic customer group on WhatsApp, and wondering how the day slipped through his fingers. His to-do list still has 27 unchecked items, and his bank account looks like a sad face emoji. So what gives?

Here’s the brutal truth: Rajesh, like many of us, is confusing busyness with productivity. It’s easy to get trapped in the “I’m always working, so I must be getting somewhere” mindset. But let’s be honest—when was the last time a CEO got rich by color-coding their calendar or obsessively refreshing their email? Exactly.

The Deadly ‘Busy Work’ Trap: The Things You Do That Don’t Matter

Picture this: You’re sitting at your desk, and instead of tackling the high-impact tasks that actually move the needle in your business, you’re redesigning your logo for the 50th time. Why? Because somehow, deep down, it feels productive. But it’s not. It’s the entrepreneurial equivalent of rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Looks good, but you’re still sinking.

Let’s talk about some of these ‘busy work’ traps that are keeping you poor:

1. Endless Zoom Calls: You know the ones. The calls that could have been emails, but instead, you spend an hour nodding politely while someone drones on about “synergy.” Spoiler: No synergy was achieved.

2. Obsessing Over Social Media Metrics: You’ve spent the last three hours analyzing why your latest reel didn’t get more than 50 likes. Newsflash: Likes don’t pay bills. If Instagram hearts were currency, we’d all be billionaires by now.

3. Customer Chasing: Chasing customers who want the moon but have the budget of a street food vendor. Stop wasting time on these freeloaders who make you jump through hoops for peanuts.

4. Email Black Hole: The place where productivity goes to die. You’re not a corporate manager who needs to reply to every “Hope you’re well” email. Let some of those messages marinate in your inbox—most aren’t urgent, trust me.

5. Perfecting the Perfect Webinar Slides: I get it, you want to look professional. But spending eight hours choosing between Arial and Helvetica isn’t what’s keeping you from success. You’re not a graphic designer; you’re a coach. The content matters, not the font.

The Indian Hustle Mentality: Why “More Hours” Doesn’t Equal More Money

In India, we wear our work hours like a badge of honor. “Oh, you worked 10 hours today? I worked 14.” It’s like a weird competition no one wants to win. And let’s not forget the classic family pressure: “Beta, when will you finally buy a house? Sharma Ji’s son is already on his third!”

But here’s the deal: Just because you’re grinding doesn’t mean you’re growing. It’s not about how much time you put in; it’s about what you do with that time. Think of it this way: If you’re digging with a spoon, you can dig for 12 hours straight and make little progress. But give someone a bulldozer, and they’ll dig that same hole in an hour. The difference? Leverage.

Stop Being ‘Busy’ and Start Being Productive

So, how do you get off the hamster wheel and start seeing real progress? Here’s your crash course in the productivity hacks that actually work:

1. The 80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle): Focus on the 20% of activities that bring 80% of your results. This means spending time on revenue-generating activities like marketing, sales calls, and building systems—not endless admin tasks.

2. Time Blocking Like a Boss: Instead of reacting to every notification, set specific blocks of time for your most important tasks. Treat your schedule like a sacred temple, and don’t let customer demands bulldoze your focus time.

3. Outsource the Time-Suckers: You’re not a one-man army. Hire a virtual assistant to handle the low-value tasks. Focus on what you do best—teaching, coaching, and creating impact.

4. Automate or Die: Use automation tools for email marketing, social media scheduling, and community onboarding. Your time is too precious to waste on repetitive tasks that software can handle in minutes.

5. Say No More Often: You don’t need to be at every networking event, on every podcast, or replying to every LinkedIn message within five minutes. Say no to things that don’t align with your core goals.

The Mindset Shift: Stop Thinking Like an Employee

This one’s going to hurt, but it’s the truth: Most entrepreneurs are still thinking like employees. They believe that putting in more hours will somehow lead to success. But here’s the thing—if you’re just trading time for money, you’re still stuck in the employee mindset. You need to think like an owner. Owners build systems, leverage people, and prioritize tasks that drive growth.

Imagine if Mukesh Ambani spent his days tweaking Jio’s website design. Ridiculous, right? He’s focused on the bigger picture, and that’s where your mind needs to be too.

The Reality Check: Are You Running a Business or a Busy-Ness?

So, ask yourself: Are you running a business, or are you just busy running around? The truth is, being busy feels good. It feels like you’re doing something, even when you’re not. But the goal isn’t to be busy; it’s to be productive. The goal is to build something that doesn’t just look good on the outside but works like a well-oiled machine on the inside.

You don’t need another productivity app, another “guru” webinar, or a 12-hour workday to get ahead. You need a system, a strategy, and the guts to say no to the things that aren’t serving your bigger vision.

Signing Off: “Get Off the Hamster Wheel and Start Climbing the Ladder”

Siddharth Rajsekar,
Your Guide to No-Nonsense Productivity (Without the B.S. or the Busy Work).

P.S. If you’re ready to stop being “productive” and start making real progress, you need to see the system that’s helped thousands of coaches like you get off the hamster wheel. Check out The Diamond Membership and learn how to work smarter, not harder. It’s time to get serious, stop chasing your tail, and start climbing the ladder of success.

What are you going to do about this?