Call Her Creator with Katelyn Rhoades

Episode 101: The Hustle Hangover — Why Rest Feels So Hard for Women Who Want More

Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Katelyn Rhoades

Episode Overview

In this powerful solo episode, Katelyn Rhoades dives deep into the paradox of hustle culture and the often invisible costs it imposes on ambitious women—burnout and the inability to rest. Drawing from her experiences as an entrepreneur, creator, and mother, Katelyn exposes how society conditions women to equate worth with busyness and productivity, leading to cycles of exhaustion and guilt. She shares her own journey into what she calls her "peaceful era," reframes rest as a strategic, necessary practice for sustainable success, and offers listeners both validation and practical strategies to reclaim their peace.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Cultural Pressures Behind the “Hustle Hangover”

• Societal Expectations: Women are praised from a young age for being helpful, selfless, and multitasking, which sets the stage for measuring self-worth through constant action.

  • “We were raised to be helpers, multitaskers, caretakers, achievers. The glue that holds it all together.” (03:20)

• The Productivity Trap: Modern culture puts busy-ness on a pedestal, making rest feel taboo or even a sign of weakness.

  • “Somewhere along the way, busy became this badge of honor and rest became this dirty word, especially for women.” (01:12)

Recognizing Signs of Burnout

• Burnout often sneaks up in increments, not all at once.

• “That busy season has become your entire identity.” (07:45)

• Keeping busy is frequently a deep-rooted mechanism to chase relief, not passion or fulfillment.

• Katelyn’s Personal Example:

  • “I remember at one point sitting at my desk with a full Client roster, agencies running, the podcast growing. And like, I want to celebrate, but I just feel, like, numb. Like, why do I feel so heavy? And then I realized I wasn't even chasing my goals anymore. I was really chasing relief. And that's a really dangerous place to live.” (09:03)

Why Rest Feels Unsafe

• Cultural Conditioning: From childhood, girls are rewarded for emotional labor and being useful—resulting in adulthood patterns where even rest is turned into a checklist.
  • “We turn self care into a checklist, or we meditate because it's productive...” (14:30)
• Physiological Response: Living constantly in fight-or-flight makes true rest feel physically uncomfortable.
  • “Your body literally doesn't trust it yet... when you've lived in fight or flight for too long, peace can feel unsafe.” (17:48)

The Identity Trap & Guilt

• Rest can feel like failure when your identity is built on being the one who always shows up.
  • “If your peace depends on everyone else being okay, you're never really gonna feel okay.” (21:35)
• Delegation and outsourcing have limits—the ultimate sense of peace must come from within.

Redefining Rest for Ambitious Women

• Rest ≠ Doing Nothing:
  • “Rest doesn't have to mean doing nothing. It just means doing something that restores you.” (27:13)
• Three Main Types of Rest:
  • Physical Rest: Napping, skipping the workout, walks, closing the laptop early.
  • Creative Rest: Brainstorming without posting, being creative without external feedback or pressure.
  • Emotional Rest: Saying no, letting others handle things, stepping back from always being the helper.

Mindset Shifts & Reframes on Rest

Katelyn shares the mindset shifts that changed her relationship with rest (40:11):

1. “I’ll rest when I’m done” → “Rest helps me get it done.”

   • “Your best ideas rarely come from burnout. They come from breathing space. That’s why I do my money walks.” (40:35)

2. “I don’t have time to rest” → “I don’t have time not to rest.”

   • “Rest isn’t optional. It’s strategic. It protects your longevity.” (41:10)

3. “Rest makes me lazy” → “Rest makes me creative.”

   • “The most creative people you know... they understand the value of being still. That’s where their magic brews.” (41:37)

4. “If I stop, everything will fall apart” → “If I stop, I might finally come back to myself.”

   • “The world does not collapse when you rest. It often just gets clearer for you.” (42:10)

5. “I need to earn peace” → “Peace should be your baseline.”

   • “You don’t have to prove your worth through exhaustion. You already are enough.” (42:38)

Systems, Structure, and Sustainable Success

• If Your Business Can't Run Without You, It's a Burnout Machine
  • “If you're running a business that can't function unless you're constantly online, you don't have a business, you have a burnout machine.” (35:09)
• Katelyn’s advocacy for structure: Her programs—Social Media School and Club Influence—are designed to help creators build systems so rest is possible and sustainable.

Memorable Quotes

• “I am responsible for my peace. And that's what this bracelet reminds me of. Peaceful era. Choose peace. Stop being crazy exhausted all the time.” (04:19)
• “If the success you're building is draining the person who's building it, it's not sustainable success.” (08:40)
• “We've confused recovery with another form of work.” (15:15)
• “You can't outsource your peace. It all comes from within.” (23:48)
• “Rest is not what you do after you've earned it. It’s what allows you to keep going without losing yourself.” (32:50)
• “Success isn't about doing it all, it's about building a business that gives you your time, your peace, and your life back.” (48:52)
• “You don't have to hustle to be worthy. You just have to be human.” (49:48)

Notable Moments & Timestamps

• [03:20] — Societal pressures on women to be everything for everyone.
• [08:40] — Realization that hustling has become an identity, not merely a habit.
• [14:30] — On “productive” self-care, and how it’s not true rest.
• [17:48] — Rest as a physiological challenge, not simply a discipline issue.
• [21:35] — The trap of tying self-worth to being “the reliable one.”
• [23:48] — The limits of delegation and the non-negotiable nature of personal rest.
• [27:13] — Redefining rest as restoration, not inactivity.
• [32:50] — The key mindset shift: Rest as strategic and foundational.
• [35:09] — The importance of business systems for true entrepreneurial freedom.
• [40:11] — Five reframes for approaching rest.
• [48:52] — On building a business that returns your time and peace.

Actionable Takeaways

• Audit your relationship to rest: Notice if guilt or anxiety surfaces during downtime.
• Reframe rest as necessary fuel, not a reward.
• Identify forms of rest that restore you physically, emotionally, and creatively.
• Build systems in business and life to allow you to unplug without chaos.
• Start small: Five minutes of intentional rest can start the process of nervous system recalibration.
• Remember: Your value is not tied to your productivity.

Closing Reflection

Katelyn’s heartfelt appeal is for creators—especially women—to step off the relentless treadmill of hustle and refocus on sustainable success founded on peace, systems, and self-trust. The “hustle hangover” doesn’t have to be permanent; with intentional mindset shifts and the right strategies, you can reclaim your energy and rediscover joy in the pursuit.

“The next version of you isn't built by pushing harder. She's built by coming home to yourself.” (47:15)