Burnout Isn’t A Flex, It’s Bad Math

Ever hustle so hard you forget what breathing feels like? In this episode, we pull back the curtain on a truth creatives don’t like to admit: exhaustion is not evidence of greatness, and burnout is not part of the job description. Sitting with LoKey, we break down how hustle culture quietly rewires our relationship with work, rest, and worth—and why sustainable creativity matters more than nonstop motion.

LoKey speaks from lived experience. Mornings that start with notifications before your feet hit the floor. Meals eaten between edits. That familiar promise to slow down after “this last project.” Then comes the pivot. When he finally reset his pace, the money didn’t disappear. The work improved. The ideas landed cleaner and sharper. We unpack why recovery isn’t a setback—it’s a performance upgrade. If you care about creative longevity, productivity without burnout, and protecting your mental health as a creative, this conversation offers real perspective.

We also pour up “Responsible-ish,” a Brunch Behavior summer drink that doubles as a mindset. Rum represents drive. Pineapple signals optimism. Lime is about boundaries. Ginger brings clarity without the crash. It’s a simple recipe with a deeper message: work-life balance isn’t accidental—it’s intentional. We talk routines that refill the tank, boundaries you can actually maintain, and the difference between moving fast and moving well.

If you’re ready to build without breaking yourself, press play. Share this with someone deep in creative burnout. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. And if it resonates, leave a review and tell us—what does “responsible-ish” look like in your week?

SIP happens. Every SIP tells a story.

Guest Host IG  - @lokeydaboss01

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Theme: Hustle Vs. Peace
• 0:17 Low Key’s Sermon On Sustainable Hustle
• 1:20 From Burnout To Better Ideas
• 2:01 The Responsible-Ish Recipe
• 3:16 Gratitude, Future Plans, And CTA

Transcript

Styles: 0:00

Today's pour is for the ones trying to bounce building their dream while protecting their peace. The ones chasing the bag but starting to realize that rest costs two. And to help me break this one down, I had to bring in my brother Low Key. Let's get into it. Here's Low Key with the Poor Report.

SPEAKER_00: 0:17

Welcome to Brunch Behavior, the Poor Report. I'm low-key. Designer, creative, and professional do too much here. And today's pour, balance on the rocks. Because sometimes chasing the bag leaves you too tired to spend it. Let me break this one down for you. The Sib Sermon. For creatives like me, hustle becomes oxygen. You start every morning checking messages before your feet hit the floor. You eat between edits. You tell yourself you'll rest after this project. But there's always another one waiting. It took me years to realize that success isn't measured in exhaustion, it's measured in longevity. Back in those GS poetry days with Styles, we were sharpening pens and pushing creativity every night. The passion was raw, the grind was real, but nobody was talking about rest. Now I know better. Hustle is a blessing until it becomes a habit that you can't turn off.

Styles: 1:14

Yo, ain't that the truth? Some of us treat burnout like it's part of the benefits package.

SPEAKER_00: 1:20

What it looks like in real life. You ever notice that brunch is always at one friend that's halfway present, phone in one hand, mimosa untouched, mine somewhere else. Yeah, that was me. Grinding so hard that relaxation felt like a guilt. But here's the twist. Once I started taking breaks, the money didn't slow down. The quality went up. My ideas got cleaner. And my work got sharper. My spirit caught up with my ambition.

Styles: 1:51

See, and that's the part that most people miss. The recharge is part of the grind. You can't pour your purpose from an empty glass. Alright, baby bro. Let me break this down in the glass for the people. This one's straight out of the brunch behavior summer pack. It's called responsible-ish. Here's what's in the glass. Rum for the drive, the heat that keeps you moving, pineapple juice for optimism, because you need sweetness on your grind. Pause. Nuclear fucking pause. I didn't mean that. A squeeze of lime for accountability. The reminder that even ambition needs limits. And top it off with ginger syrup. That extra kick that wakes you up without burning you out. And that people is responsible-ish. The perfect mix for anyone balancing hustle and health.

SPEAKER_00: 2:47

The final pour. Here's my truth. You can chase everything you want and still lose yourself if you don't pace it right. Balance isn't laziness, it's wisdom. It's knowing that slowing down doesn't mean stopping. It means staying sustainable. Your hustle should feed you, not finish you. So wherever you are in your grind, make sure Peace gets a seat at the table too. And that's my port for the day from Low Key.

Styles: 3:16

Salute to my brother Low King. A creative with discipline in his DNA. I'm gonna go off script a little bit. It's a privilege and an honor to call you my brother. I didn't realize how many things we had in common until the other night. Another pause. Big pause, but you understand where I'm coming from. The hits keep rolling. Anyway, we easily have 15 to 20 joints in. Easily. I'm scared to do the math because it might date me. You know what I mean? So, with that being said, we're definitely gonna spin a block. 2026 has something huge in store for us. I can't wait to tell the people, and this has been long overdue. So, one more game. I appreciate you and thank you. And if you're running on empty, do what we do. Refill with intention. That's where the brunch behavior comes in. Grab the free pour, five drinks, five sermons, and a moment to breathe. And when you're ready to toast the balance and boundaries, sip the brunch behavior summer pack. The links in the description. And one more reminder your grind isn't greater than your well being. Sip happens. Every sip tells a story. Catch you at the next pour.