Episode 729: How to Break Free From the Hustle Culture With Lauren Less

EBT729 – Lauren Less

[00:00:00]  Megan Porta 

Food bloggers and creative entrepreneurs. If you have ever felt crushed by hustle culture, I know you probably have at times, this episode is your permission to pause. Today I’m chatting with Lauren Less from Less with Lore, a powerhouse voice in the wellness and chronic illness space. We dive deep into the mindset shifts that help you stop chasing perfection, avoid burnout, and finally create space for rest, balance, balance and joy.

[00:00:30]   

We talk about setting boundaries, letting go of the pressure to be on 24 7, and how outsourcing and flexible systems can be a total game changer for your business and your mental health. Plus, I share a little throwback about taking naps somewhere interesting during my lunch breaks in my 20s. Tune in to hear where I took those naps because when you ignore the signs of burnout, your body will find a way to rest. If you have been craving authenticity, community and you need a reminder reminder that you don’t have to do it all, hit play. Listen to the episode. This one is for you.

[00:01:08] Intro  

Hi food bloggers, I’m Megan Porta and this is Eat Blog Talk. Your space for support, inspiration and strategies to grow your blog and your freedom. Whether that’s personal, professional or financial, you are not alone on this journey.

[00:01:23] Sponsor   

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[00:02:35]  Megan Porta 

Lauren, welcome back to the podcast. Your second time within a year, right?

[00:02:39]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, thanks for having me back.

[00:02:41]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, so excited to have you back. We’re going to talk about Mindset today which as you know I love love this topic and I think it is so, so important for all of us to keep it top of mind. Before we get into it, do you have another fun fact to share with us?

[00:02:57]  Lauren Less 

Yeah. So my fun fact is that I am a food blogger now, but I used to be a therapist and I worked in private practice, which I think ties in well with the theme of this episode.

[00:03:10]  Megan Porta 

Amazing. I feel like you’re so well rounded. You have all of these different things you do, and you’re starting a podcast and I love it. Was I supposed to say that? Sorry.

[00:03:20]  Lauren Less 

No, it’s fine.

[00:03:21]  Megan Porta 

Okay. Like, oops, she told me that before we started recording. Okay. I didn’t let the cat out of the bag. Well, why don’t you tell us a little bit about your blog just in case somebody hasn’t listened to or doesn’t know you. What’s the name and give us all the scoop.

[00:03:36]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, sure. It’s called Less with Laur because my last name is Les, so it’s kind of a play on the that. But I share a lot of like, simple, allergy friendly, gluten free, dairy free recipes because I have a lot of food allergies and some different health issues that have caused me to have to focus mainly on like a simpler diet and more whole foods.

[00:03:58]  Megan Porta 

Awesome. I can appreciate that. I’m right now going through, sorting through some food stuff that I’ve never had before, at least I didn’t think I had before. And now I’m like, maybe I did actually have these issues before, but they’re just now coming to light.

[00:04:12]  Lauren Less 

But.

[00:04:12]  Megan Porta 

But oh my gosh, it is a whole new world trying to figure out what is causing symptoms. And then, yeah, it’s just like, what, what do I stay away from? The other day I ate artichokes, which I’ve eaten artichokes my entire life. I love them and they caused a reaction. So I’m like, really?

[00:04:31]   

Even the good stuff. I think artichokes are so benign. Like, what in the world?

[00:04:37]  Lauren Less 

Huh? Interesting.

[00:04:38]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, I know, it is so interesting. And then oils for me, like, it started out with soybean oil, but now it’s. I’ve reacted to sunflower oil, coconut oil, palm oil. I think that’s all so far, but it’s just like this progression of, I don’t know, things are being revealed so I can sympathize.

[00:05:01]   

And I totally understand that, the need to simplify sometimes. And it’s not always easy.

[00:05:10]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, that’s true. It’s not always easy to pinpoint what you’re reacting to. And then even when you have an idea, sometimes things change. Or. Yeah, hard to. It can be really overwhelming when you change your diet at first, too.

[00:05:25]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. Yeah. I open my pantry and I’m like, there’s nothing in here that I can eat. So I shut it and, like, I don’t know why I keep opening it.

[00:05:33]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:05:33]  Megan Porta 

Anyway, yes. You’re here to talk about mindset, which I love, and I love that this ties into the fact that you have training in this area. So I guess to start, we could just talk about the fact that food bloggers are entrepreneurs. And I feel like there’s such a demand or expectation to kind of fit in with that whole hustle culture.Like, you’ve got to hustle your butt off if you want to make it work. So how do you think we find balance in this world because it can so easily suck you in?

[00:06:11]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, it’s really hard. It is really hard. And I think, like, there’s just so much pressure from, you know, that side of things to, like, hustle. To be successful, you have to post X amount of blog posts per week. You have to post X amount on social media, multiple platforms. But I think, just like, for me, I’ve been trying to focus on quality over quantity more, and that’s helped me, like, so slow down a little bit.

[00:06:36]   

And I think I’ve just learned throughout my, like, health journey, too, that I just really have to slow down, and maybe I can’t necessarily keep up with. With other people and what they can do. So I think that’s important, too, is just, like, not comparing yourself to other people. Everyone has a different situation.

[00:06:53]   

I have, like, my health stuff, but maybe someone else is a mom or, you know, has another job. I think we all have different situations. Some people. And I think, too, some people have, like, full teams working behind them, and we have to remember that, too. So there’s, like, there are so many factors that go into it, really.

[00:07:12]  Megan Porta 

Yeah.

[00:07:12]  Lauren Less 

And I think just knowing that it’s possible, too, to be successful if you’re not burning yourself out.

[00:07:19]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. Yeah. And to figure it out somehow before you get to that point where you’re burning yourself out. I think that unfortunately, that’s where a lot of us go down that road of, like, oh, yeah, I slowed down because I got to this really. Right, dark place.

[00:07:35]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, yeah, right. We kind of get forced to slow down, and I get to the point where I feel burnt out, and then I’m like, you know what? I can take a week off and it’s fine. And I think a lot of people Feel like they can’t. And I felt like that before.

[00:07:48]   

I’m like, I can’t take a week off posting on social media, but I have and nothing happens. Like, it’s okay to do that.

[00:07:54]  Megan Porta 

Yeah.

[00:07:55]  Lauren Less 

So I think that’s important too.

[00:07:57]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. It feels like things are going to crumble when we take time off. It’s such a weird.

[00:08:03]  Lauren Less 

Like you.

[00:08:03]  Megan Porta 

I get really antsy inside. Like, something bad’s gonna happen, my whole blog’s gonna shut down, or, I don’t know, like everything’s gonna explode. But then when you come back, it’s like, oh, everything is still going, you know, sailing right along. And sometimes things are even better than you left them, which is kind of a cool thing.

[00:08:24]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I noticed that too. Sometimes with social media, even, like, if I take a week off, like, that one post that’s at the top will get more engagement than usual just because people who are finding my account, like, subscribe, see those. Like, the posts are sitting for longer, I guess.

[00:08:38]  Megan Porta 

Right.

[00:08:38]  Lauren Less 

I don’t know. But yeah, it’s not the end of the world.

[00:08:41]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, there’s something. There’s some sort of magic, I think, about just taking your hands off for a period now and then and just letting the platform or the traffic or whatever just kind of marinate and do its thing instead of having your hands in it all the time. That’s like having kids, too.Like, when you’re in your kid’s business all the time, like, bad things happen, but if you just kind of let them be humans for a while, then things start to unfold. So, yeah, that’s kind of the same with my business, I found.

[00:09:14]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that is interesting.

[00:09:17]  Megan Porta 

And then what do you think? How do you think boundaries play into that? Because for me, boundaries have been just huge in slowing down and finding balance.

[00:09:28]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:09:29]  Megan Porta 

What about for you?

[00:09:30]  Lauren Less 

Definitely. I think I’m still working on the social media boundaries. I think it’s hard for me. My, like, instinct is to pick up my phone and open social media, and I’m trying to break that habit. But something that I did this, like, past year that helped me is I took email off my phone.

[00:09:47]   

So now I can only check email when I’m on my computer. And that was really, really helpful. And then also just, like, knowing it’s okay to say no to things. I think there will be periods of time too, where there’s a lot of, like, creator events. And I’m like, I can’t physically go to all of these.

[00:10:04]   

I’m in, like, a bigger city. So sometimes it gets a little crazy, and I’m like, I want to network, but at the cost of my health or, you know, other things. So I think just, like, figuring out what’s most important and then, like, and what your values are, too.

[00:10:21]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, yeah. It is so tempting to do it. All right. Like, oh, this event’s just down the street. I might as well just go working after hours. I mean, there are so many ways to kind of bend boundaries a little bit. But I like what you did. Just one simple act of taking email off your phone.

[00:10:41]   

So whatever that is for you. Whatever. If you’re listening and you’re like, it’s social, Social media, I just automatically go into Instagram all the time. Try taking it off your phone just for a period and just see what happens. Unplugging from one thing can snowball and make a huge difference.

[00:10:59]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:11:00]  Megan Porta 

So taking email off your phone, what did you find happened after that? Was it like, you had extra hours in your day? You weren’t as reliant on your phone? What good things came from it?

[00:11:11]  Lauren Less 

I think it was just a habit that I was, like, checking my email, just like I was checking Instagram. I think I just got into a habit. It’s. And it’s like, kind of too, like an instant. Instant gratification thing. You log on to Instagram and you’re like, oh, yeah, I got these comments.

[00:11:24]   

People are messaging me. Like, it’s exciting. And same with email. I’ll be like, oh, a brand emailed me, or, you know, we’re talking about this. I think I just needed to set aside time for both of those things so I didn’t get distracted throughout my day from, like, opening my phone. So I find that I’m just more productive and then I can connect with people better.

[00:11:44]   

If I’m not, like, trying to answer emails throughout the day, I’m just, like, opening it in the morning. And then if there are, like, action items that I need to do, like, read a contract or, you know, do something like that, I. I put it in somewhere else in my day. So, yeah, that’s been helpful.

[00:12:00]  Megan Porta 

I think it can look different for everyone. Right. Like, it doesn’t have to be that, but whatever is, whatever you’re feeling like you’re just reliant on, and you should. You shouldn’t need to be just starting there and seeing what happens. Like I said before, but there are so many places for us to go into.

[00:12:21]   

Like, there’s email, there’s blogs, there’s. We didn’t talk about this yet, but statistics like, your analytics can be a huge thing for a lot of people. They get obsessed. I used to be obsessed with it, too. There’s so many places that we go look for that gratification or our hope of, like, oh, things are going up.

[00:12:41]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:12:42]  Megan Porta 

So, yeah, just pick one and. And set a boundary around it. And time, too. Like, time working used to be a big issue for me. How do you deal with that?

[00:12:52]  Lauren Less 

Like, the amount of time I’m working.

[00:12:54]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. So, like, time you’re working throughout the day and week.

[00:12:57]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, that used to be a big issue for me. Honestly, like, I think during COVID I got into the habit of working on the weekends, and then I just never stopped. And I had to more recently be like, okay, I’m not going to work on the weekends unless I really need to. And I think with this job, it’s hard, too, because it kind of, like your real life bleeds into your work life.

[00:13:20]   

And, like, I’m grocery shopping, but I’m grocery shopping for my food, and then I’m grocery shopping for my business food. And, like, am I working? You know, it’s also blended together. So I’ve been just trying to really. At least during the summer, for now, like, I’m not working on the weekends. Like, Saturday, Sunday, I’m not working.

[00:13:37]   

And I’m trying to close my computer at a certain time during the week, too. But, yeah, it’s hard.

[00:13:43]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, it is. Especially when you don’t have somebody telling you how to manage your time. It’s all on you. And some of us are better at time management than others, so it’s like, it kind of falls on our own shoulders, which makes it really hard.

[00:13:59]  Lauren Less 

Yeah. Yeah. Do you.

[00:14:03]  Megan Porta 

I guess this is a question I get a lot about outsourcing. Like, knowing when to outsource.

[00:14:08]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:14:09]  Megan Porta 

And how to go about that. Do you have any thoughts on that?

[00:14:12]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I think that once you. I mean, first of all, like, you can’t do everything yourself. And that’s what I realized. I think it’s really hard when you’re first starting off in this, like, field because there’s so much to do, and a lot of the time you can’t outsource yet. But I think when you get to a point where you feel like it would make sense financially.

[00:14:36]   

And I’ve read a lot of books about this too, like, kind of like calculating what an hour of your time is worth or even for me, like, my health or my energy is worth more to me than money sometimes. So, like, if I can not burn myself out in the day because I’m paying somebody to help me, that’s also helpful.

[00:14:55]   

So I think it definitely depends on people’s values, but just kind of like weighing those things. And if it’s going to give you back time, if it’s going to give you back creativity, if it’s going to give you back rest, if it’s going to help you make more money. I think everyone kind of thinks of things differently and it just is so personal.

[00:15:14]   

But if you feel like you’re not doing your best work anymore too, because you can’t do everything, you know, it’s better to have somebody do something like 80% as well as you, then to try to do everything and burn yourself out.

[00:15:29]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, I think what you said is perfect. When you feel like you’re not doing your best work, that’s kind of a cue to step back and evaluate and see if you can maybe get help in certain areas. But also, like you said, businesses are so personalized. So it’s not like we can come on here and give you a one size fits all formula because that’s just.

[00:15:50]   

It would never. Every business is so, so uniquely different, but we can give some ideas. So just, you know, seeing the bigger picture of your business and maybe what isn’t lighting you up anymore as well.

[00:16:02]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, that’s something. I’ve been working with the business coach and she had me do like an exercise like that, basically like writing down everything I do in a day and then kind of just seeing which things I like doing, which things I don’t like doing, how I feel after I do them, which things I can have someone else do.

[00:16:20]   

So that’s been really helpful too.

[00:16:21]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, I love that. Getting it on paper sometimes is just so clarifying and it helps you see something like, oh, I wouldn’t have ever thought of that. How do you just kind of in general take care of your mental health in order to be a better entrepreneur?

[00:16:38]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I mean, I think I do a lot of things that are kind of more like personal to my health and wellness, but I think just like really making intentional time to recharge and rest and take time off of something. Screens is really important for me. Like, I like to read, I like to take a bath, I like to go for a walk, I like to do Pilates.

[00:16:56]   

I like, really need to have intentional, like, no screen time for myself to be able to feel good. And I know, like, I notice my mental health is worse when I’m on my phone all day and it’s, it’s like a Push, pull. Because it’s, like, the nature of our jobs, but also we need to take breaks.

[00:17:12]   

So I think, too, like, I try to come back to gratitude. A lot of, like, I’m grateful to have this job that’s, like, so fun. And when I get stressed about things that are like, you know, my food didn’t look good today or something like that, I’m like, okay, in the grand scheme of things, like, how cool is it that this is my job and I get to, like, make food and help people and, like, it’s not the end of the world if I have to remake this recipe.

[00:17:42]   

So I try to, like, put things in perspective, too. And then if I start feeling burnt out, I know, like, I need to take a break from, like, filming for the week or take a day off or take a week off of social media. So I try to plan in things like that, too.

[00:18:00]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. Yeah. It’s so important to keep an eye on just how you’re feeling. And again, it’s going to be different for everyone. But doing the things that give your soul rest instead of taking energy from you and just finding those things, I think it’s really important. A walk, a run, exercise, lifting weights, meditation, whatever.

[00:18:23]   

Just being intentional about scheduling those things into your life. Do you actually put those things on your calendar? How do you make sure to prioritize the things that you need?

[00:18:33]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I try to write them in to my calendar, but I also kind of will go by how I feel or if I know I have, like, things upcoming. Like, this weekend’s gonna be busy for me, so I want to try to, like, have a really light Friday. So I’ll kind of, like, do it based on what my schedule is gonna look like, too.

[00:18:52]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, I think that’s smart. And then how does sleep play into that? I think sleep is so, so, so important, and it gets overlooked often.

[00:19:02]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I need my sleep. I need, like, at least eight hours of sleep. Or I, like, can’t put me too. So I’m like, I need. Yeah, I need it. And that. Right. That is important. And it’s really overlooked. And I think even when you work for yourself, it’s hard. Like, I think people have.

[00:19:19]   

They think they need to do things a certain way, but really you can make it up. Like, if you need to sleep later, it’s okay. And I had to go through that. And, like, especially with health stuff, I was like, I don’t need to wake up when everyone else is starting to work.

[00:19:31]   

Yeah, I need to sleep in today. I can. And I can Finish my work, you know, when everyone else is home. You know what I mean? Like, I think we get stuck in this, like, nine to five mindset. And, like, with the flexibility, you actually can really optimize your time, your health, how you’re feeling.

[00:19:48]   

So I think, like, taking advantage of that is important too.

[00:19:51]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, there’s the whole 5am Club thing. I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s a thing now still, but I know for a while people were talking about that. Yeah, I would feel like absolute crap all day if I did that for a week. I would probably die. Like, I, I’m. I get up fairly early during the school year when our boys are in school, but.

[00:20:12]   

Yeah, when in the summer, I sleep until I. My body’s ready to wake up. Because I just, like, why not? Like you said, my schedule allows. We don’t have anything to get to most mornings. There’s nothing on my calendar until, what, 9 o’. Clock. So why not sleep in? Yeah, so I, I totally take advantage of that.

[00:20:35]   

And I will take naps in the afternoon if I need to. Anything to stay rested. And it’s not something. Okay, this bothers me. Have you noticed this, Lauren, that people. It’s almost like shaming, if you like. I could never admit that I take a nap or people are gonna shame me, like, that sort of thing.

[00:20:53]   

It’s like, why. That is so silly. You have to do what is good for your body and get the sleep you need and do whatever you need to do to make sure that happens. So why is there shame and guilt around that?

[00:21:05]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I have noticed that a lot. And that is something I had to, like, kind of get over myself and just realize, like, I’m a person who needs more sleep than maybe someone else or. Or maybe other people do need more sleep and they’re just not getting it. Yeah, if I need to nap, I will.

[00:21:21]   

And I. Yeah, I think it is really important. Like, your. Your body can’t function at its best. Like, even aside from work, like, it isn’t good for your health. So. Yeah, that’s something else that I’ve really had to, like, relearn. And that’s just like our society too, of, like, hustle culture. And like, it’s like people, I feel like, almost associate napping or sleeping in with, like, being lazy.

[00:21:46]   

But, like, you can be a successful entrepreneur and still take naps and still sleep in if you need to. So I think just knowing that two things are possible is important too.

[00:21:57]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. And some people wear it almost as A badge of honor. Like I don’t need much sleep and I never nap. I’m like, well, good for you. That’s amazing. I wish I was like that. But I actually do need a lot of sleep. I was just thinking of this today. It’s really funny.

[00:22:13]   

So right before the interview I just laid down for like 20 minutes. My house was so loud so I didn’t sleep. But I was just like needed to close my eyes for a little bit. And I remembered back like way before I had kids. So this was like 20 plus years ago. I worked in the corporate world and I would, back then, even before kids, I needed more sleep than most people.

[00:22:34]   

So I would take a pillow and a blanket in my car to work and at lunchtime I would go sleep in the back seat and we had like a covered parking, so. And I would park away so people couldn’t see me. But every once in a while someone would park next to me and I would hear them like, is that a person?

[00:22:51]   

I was sleeping in my car. That’s so weird. But I like even back then I did what I needed.

[00:22:58]  Lauren Less 

I prioritized my sleep.

[00:23:02]  Sponsor 

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[00:23:30]  Lauren Less 

I think more people would definitely benefit from that. I mean I remember when I was working like a 9 to 5 job or even sometimes like 12 hour shifts, I as like a social worker, I would have to drink like a coffee, a coffee after lunch, a coffee mid afternoon. And I was like, this is horrible.

[00:23:47]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, you shouldn’t be doing that. Right. Like you shouldn’t have to do that to your body just to stay alive and focused.

[00:23:54]  Lauren Less 

Yeah. But that’s just like what has been kind of pushed on us, that we need to like be productive and just keep going. Yeah.

[00:24:03]  Megan Porta 

And that kind of ties into that pressure that some of us feel to always be on and never show our off side. Can you talk about that?

[00:24:14]  Lauren Less 

Yeah. I think it is hard because social media and like sharing your life too. If you’re like on Instagram and on stories and stuff, it feels like you always have to be like on and always working kind of. So it is, it can be hard to, to like take breaks or turn off.

[00:24:33]   

I like don’t post on Saturdays for the most part. Like, I never post on my feed, but if I want to share a story here and there, I will. But I try to take Saturday, like, off if I can and just, like, know that I’m not gonna have to, like, be on that day or post anything.

[00:24:52]   

Yeah, I feel like it goes back to boundaries, too, and everyone just has to set different boundaries for themselves. Like, whatever works. I know some people will, like, batch their stories or and like, batch their content too, so they can have, like, certain days where they’re, like, off the scenes kind of. And I do that too.

[00:25:10]   

Like, I will film on Tuesdays and Thursdays now, so I don’t have to, like, feel like I’m on and recording recipes every day. But sometimes I’ll. I’ll still do, like, stories in the moment just because I do like to do them, like, authentically with what I’m doing. But definitely, like, people who are filming recipe reels are batching them.They’re not like, on 24/7.

[00:25:29]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. Yes, for sure. Batching is such a good recommendation. And just giving permission, giving people permission right now to not always be on. You do not have to pretend like you are perfect and on and ready and presentable all the time. Right?

[00:25:47]  Lauren Less 

Yeah. And I think, like, when you’re building a community on Instagram or TikTok or whatever it is, like, people appreciate that. They appreciate when you show up authentically and just share what you’re actually going through. Like, I feel like the times I get the most messages is like, when I talk about something that’s going on with my health or, like, I don’t know, something stupid.

[00:26:07]   

Like, I spilled something on my shirt and I took a picture and I was like, I literally need a bib. And I got, like, so many replies to that. Because people relate to it. They’re like, we stain our shirts too.

[00:26:16]  Megan Porta 

Like, okay, yes, the real thing, right? Like the anti perfectionist movement, which I love. I’m a huge proponent of that. And then how do you deal with systems to stay on track, but also not just to stay on track, but to be flexible. So, like, we talked about, like, sleeping when you need to. What other things do you do in your business that allow you to be more flexible?

[00:26:44]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I feel like I used to have a lot of flexibility. I used to have too much flexibility, I think. And then I figured out that because I always liked structure. So I. I kind of gave myself a more structured week and that really helped. But if I need to change things around, I do.

[00:27:03]   

I just kind of, like, have it loose like Tuesday, Thursday I’ll film. And I actually hired an assistant who helps me film now. And that honestly has like changed my life. But Wednesdays I try to like do meetings if I can, and then like Monday and Fridays I’ll do like just other things that I have to work on.

[00:27:22]   

Whether it’s like email stuff or just like prepping or grocery shopping or editing or like writing substacks. Yeah, just like.

[00:27:31]  Megan Porta 

Yeah.

[00:27:32]  Lauren Less 

So I try to like do it by day now and that that’s helpful.

[00:27:36]  Megan Porta 

But if you need to, you can like, if you show up Tuesday to film and you’re off for some reason, you can rearrange and let it spill over. And it’s not like if you miss that day, then you’re out. Like you, you can make it work.

[00:27:53]  Lauren Less 

Exactly. Yeah. We actually kind of did that today. The air quality in Chicago is really bad and I woke up and this eye was like almost swollen. It’s a little bit better. It’s like, it’s better enough now that I can be on screen. But this morning I was like, I don’t really want to be in the recipe videos.

[00:28:07]   

So we just pivoted and we did like just like just the food and me.

[00:28:11]  Megan Porta 

Yeah.

[00:28:12]  Lauren Less 

Video.

[00:28:12]  Megan Porta 

So I feel like that’s my subtitle pivoting. Every day I have to pivot with something whether it’s like, oh my, today my hair. Well, I’m not far from you. So I’m in Minneapolis and oh my gosh, this weather just makes my hair so frizzy. So I’m like, you know what? I even blow dried it and straightened it.

[00:28:31]   

But I’m just going to go on camera looking like a frizzy lady. You just have to roll with the punches. Sometimes I think I can’t even tell. Oh well, good. I was like before the interview I was going like this with water. I need for anti frizz control.

[00:28:49]  Lauren Less 

I think that’s a big thing too is like when, you know, for filming reels or like podcasts or whatever, where we have to show up and show our face or like ourself or whatever. Every single day I feel like there’s a lot of pressure to be like, your hair done, your makeup done, your nails done, cute outfit, all this stuff.

[00:29:05]   

And like, it’s a lot to like do.

[00:29:08]  Megan Porta 

It is a lot.

[00:29:08]  Lauren Less 

So that’s why batching really helps because you only have to do it a couple days or. And. And I think too, I’m trying to be better about showing like, hey, I’m in my kitchen. I’M in a sweatshirt. Like, I’m just making.

[00:29:21]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. So, yeah, I actually do that sometimes. Especially in the summer when things are just more low key. There was a day before our recent vacation where I had to sit down and record some things and I had to show my face, but I wasn’t presentable. But I was like, you know what?

[00:29:38]   

I’m gonna do it anyway. And I did. And whatever. Like, if anyone’s judging me, I don’t really care. It’s just. You just have to do that sometimes. And. Yeah, it’s life.

[00:29:49]  Lauren Less 

Yeah. I think people appreciate it too. Just, like, the authenticity.

[00:29:54]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, I think so. I. I know I do when I see others show up just not perfect and maybe not with, like, lipstick and earrings, you know, like, yeah, it’s fine to show up as the more casual version of you sometimes. Totally fine.

[00:30:11]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:30:11]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. What about. What do you think about comparison, comparing yourself to others and how that plays into your mindset?

[00:30:19]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I feel like this one’s really hard and, like, just from talking to other creators, it’s something that most of the US struggle with. Just because everything’s, like, so in your face, it’s not like, I don’t know, I guess every job’s different, but, like, with this job, it’s like, especially on Instagram, it’s like you can see everyone’s likes, you can see everyone’s views.

[00:30:38]   

You can see, you know, how everything performed. So it’s hard to not compare yourself to other people when everything’s like, so numbers based. I think just, like, I just try to, like, focus on what I’m doing and just stay authentic to myself. I think we also just have to remember that, like, Instagram’s a highlight reel and that everyone’s putting out their, like, most perfect content or the best thing that they’ve done.

[00:31:07]   

So. Yeah, I mean, this one’s a hard one, I think, too. Just, like, stepping back and taking breaks can be helpful too. I try not to compare myself to people. I feel like I more so will compare myself to people in the way of, like, wow, they’re doing really well. Like, I’d love to get to that level.

[00:31:26]   

Like, that’s kind of like an aspiration versus, like, being hard on myself and being like, you suck, that you’re not as good as them kind of a thing. I’m like, like, what are they doing that’s, like, so successful? Or, like, why do I. Their. Their food looks so good. Like, what about it is making me, like, this video?

[00:31:42]   

So I try to, like, think of it More as, like, studying it versus, like, being, like, jealous or comparing myself. And I think, like, that kind of mindset switch has helped me too. And I also, like, have connected with a lot of creators, and I genuinely am, like, I’m happy for you that you’re doing so well.

[00:31:59]   

And I think there is room for all of us. Like, that’s the thing, too. I think some people feel that, like, there’s so much competition, but, like, there really is room for everyone. And there’s so many ways for us to, you know, get recognition or make money or whatever it is. So I try to keep that in mind, too.

[00:32:17]  Megan Porta 

Those were all such beautiful things. I loved how you worded all of that, Lauren. That was so good, because I think. I do think this is a really tough one for a lot of creators. It’s like, yeah, like, every. It’s almost like everyone’s against me or I’m against everyone, but it’s not like that.

[00:32:33]   

And once you meet people and see how lovely they are, like you said, it’s more of a. I actually genuinely want these people to succeed, and I’m so happy for them. It becomes more like that. And then when you can shift your mindset like that, you actually reap more. And because you’re not in that scarcity, like, oh, I don’t have as much as they do.

[00:32:55]   

They have more than I do. It’s like, oh, no, we’re all in this together and supporting each other. So I think community is such a key point in that. Do you agree?

[00:33:07]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I agree. I think, like, the people that I’ve connected with, who are really open and we’ll talk about these things, has been helpful for me too, because we. We’re all. This is like, when I started, I didn’t know anything about any of this. So, like, how I learned is from talking to other people.

[00:33:22]   

And now I feel like I’ve helped other people when they ask me questions. And, like, it’s nice to have a community where we can be. Like, my blog’s doing this weird thing. Like, has yours ever done that? Like, how do we fix it? Or, like, I’m talking to this brand. Like, you know, just different things like that where we can help each other out.

[00:33:41]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, we can’t do this alone. I tried it for a long time, and it’s. It sucks.

[00:33:46]  Lauren Less 

It’s not worth.

[00:33:47]  Megan Porta 

It’s not worth the effort. So find a community, find your people, and that will take care of so many problems.

[00:33:53]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, sure. I think, too, that, like, a lot of people are feeling the Same way as you are. Like, if you’re feeling, like, isolated or if you’re feeling like you’re comparing yourself a lot, or you, you know, like, oh, the algorithm sucks today, or, like, whatever it is, or Instagram’s being glitchy. Like, a lot of people feel the same way.

[00:34:13]   

So I think that’s helpful, too, to, like, have people to talk to about those, like, feelings.

[00:34:19]  Megan Porta 

So true. Do you have any tools or strategies for people if they are struggling to get a hold of their mindset and they just feel like maybe they’re hustling, they’re on the verge of burnout, they’re working too hard? Anything along those lines?

[00:34:36]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I think, first of all, like, remembering why you started this is really helpful for me personally. I feel like mine’s tied in so much with, like, my health journey and story, but I think everyone has their own story of, like, why they started a food blog or what connected them to being passionate about cooking or, you know, maybe they have an allergy or whatever.

[00:34:57]   

It is kind of, like, going back to my why really helps me when I’m, like, getting burnt out or frustrated. Like, I try to do what I was saying before, that mindset swap of, like, how cool is it that this is, like, literally my job? And I think I, like, teeter about this because I think a lot of people don’t realize how much work goes into it.

[00:35:15]   

So I’m not, like, discounting that. Like, this is a lot of work. I work more than I ever did in, like, any other job. But I think just, like, I really think it’s cool. And I think a lot of us probably feel that way, that it’s, like, such a cool thing to do.

[00:35:30]   

So I try to go back to, like, the gratitude of that and then also, like, some of the other things we’ve talked about, like, finding community, taking breaks. Like, if you’re feeling on the verge of burnout, like, take a break, it’s okay. You cannot post for a week. Nothing’s gonna happen. What else?

[00:35:45]  Megan Porta 

Those are all really good.

[00:35:47]  Lauren Less 

I was gonna say, like, if you can hire somebody, that’s really helpful, too. Just, like, to delegate things and not feel like you have to do everything on your own.

[00:35:57]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. Well, you said before when you mentioned you hired an assistant and you so genuinely said, it has changed my life. And I’ve felt that way recently about a few tasks that I’ve outsourced. You don’t underestimate the power of outsourcing. Even just for me. It was my email inbox. You would Think that that wouldn’t be a huge deal, but, Lauren, this has literally changed my life.

[00:36:19]   

When you said that about your assistant.

[00:36:21]  Lauren Less 

Like, I get it.

[00:36:22]  Megan Porta 

Because there’s so much clutter that can be taken off your shoulders and out of your head by delegating one little thing in your business.

[00:36:33]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. I think it’s hard to let go of things. Or you think, at least I was like, nobody can do this. Like, I can. Or, like, I don’t know, I like to control things, but it really just makes a huge difference. Like, it really has made a big difference for me.

[00:36:51]   

And I’ve only had her for, like, a month, so.

[00:36:54]  Megan Porta 

Yeah, I know. Like, within a short period of time, you can notice that.

[00:36:57]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:36:58]  Megan Porta 

And we’re not being dramatic. I’m not. Anyway, when I say that having my assistant take care of my email, literally, it was like a whole new world opened up before my eyes. Clutter that was in my head, like. And it gave me clarity about what I was even looking at. Before I hired.

[00:37:18]   

Before I had her start doing that, I thought everything in my inbox was so important. And now, having distanced myself from it for a little bit, now I go back and I’m like, what was I? I have no idea what I was seeing before, but I have totally different perspective. And, like, 98% of it was garbage.

[00:37:37]   

I didn’t mean to read. So, yeah, just help. Getting help removing yourself from a situation or a tool or a platform just to gain a little clarity is so worthwhile.

[00:37:48]  Lauren Less 

Yeah.

[00:37:48]  Megan Porta 

Okay. Last thing I want to ask you about is something a lot of food bloggers struggle with. Perfectionism. They have to get it right. They have to write the perfect words for the perfect blog post or have the perfect social media script or whatever. Talk about perfectionism.

[00:38:04]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I mean, I have struggled with this too. I think I’m. I very much was a perfectionist my whole life until I realized that it was not serving me. But, like, first of all, no one’s perfect. And I think, too, when you’re showing up on Instagram or wherever, I feel like I keep referring to Instagram because that’s, like, my main platform.

[00:38:28]   

But people don’t want you to be perfect. They want you to be real. They want to be able to relate to you. They want to, like, know who you are for real, not like, you’re perfectly curated life or highlight reel or whatever it is. Like, the people that are building communities are usually the ones who are sharing, like, things that are more real.

[00:38:53]   

Like, if you look at, like, Alex Earle and people like that she’s just, like, sharing her life. But, yeah, I think just like, remembering that no one’s perfect and you have to kind of find a balance and that consistency is important too. And yeah, it doesn’t. Nothing, everything doesn’t always have to be perfect.

[00:39:13]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. And just, I mean, I know this phrase is overused, but publish is better. Published is better than perfect. But it’s so true that just getting something out into the world is so much more important than perfecting it behind the scenes. Because then it, like, people can’t see it if you keep obsessing over it.

[00:39:34]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, right. Just, like, just to start. I mean, I think that is the best advice because I feel like I’ve started things and then been like, oh, it’s not ready yet, but I just, like, put it out into the world. You have to start somewhere, whether it’s like your first ebook or your first blog post or your first Instagram post.

[00:39:53]   

Like, you’re going to see an evolution over time. Like, it’s going to get better. Your first email that you send out, like, I look back at some of my stuff and I’m like, oh, that’s like, not so great. But you have to start somewhere and then you, like, improve from there and you get feedback or you see what works, or you just, like, learn and grow.

[00:40:09]  Megan Porta 

So, yeah, you gotta get your stuff out into the world. Here’s your permission to do that as well. Is there anything we’ve forgotten, Lauren, that you want to mention? Just overall about mindset and being an entrepreneur?

[00:40:23]  Lauren Less 

I think, I mean, I touched on this a little bit, but I do feel like I go back to, like, what my values are a lot, just to, like, decide what I’m going to do in my business and with my life. Kind of like, what’s the most important to me? And I think that’s always helpful for people to do is kind of do, like, a little values exercise and see what’s the most important to you.

[00:40:43]   

What are your values? Are you putting those values at, like, the forefront of what you’re doing? You know, are you putting work before family? Is that what you want to be doing? Like, things like that?

[00:40:56]  Megan Porta 

Yeah. And something like that wouldn’t take very long to do, but it goes such a long way, right?

[00:41:03]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure.

[00:41:05]  Megan Porta 

And just staying in touch with them, too. Not just because I’ve done that before in the past where it’s like, yeah, I’ll write my values out, but then I put it in a document that’s. I never see Again, but you revisiting it and making sure that it continues to be aligned with your life, that is such a good recommendation. I love that.

[00:41:24]  Lauren Less 

Yeah. Yeah.

[00:41:26]  Megan Porta 

Well, thank you for offering your expertise in psychology. You can evaluate all of us food bloggers and how we’re doing. How are we doing as a whole, would you say, from a psychology perspective, Lauren?

[00:41:41]  Lauren Less 

I feel like we’re doing well. I mean, I don’t know. I think it’s. It’s a fun, creative outlet for me, and I think a lot of people feel that way too. I think a lot of us are very hard on ourselves, though, and that’s kind of the nature of, I think, the type of people who got into this.

[00:41:57]   

But yeah, I think. And I think that happens with a lot of different jobs, but, like, just going back to, like, being able to take breaks. It’s not the end of the world. Like, our jobs are important, but, like, we’re not like brain surgeons. Like, no one’s gonna. Yeah, nothing terrible is gonna happen if we don’t post this post.

[00:42:19]   

Like, we can stop and take care of our health or spend time with our family or do whatever and. And we’ll. Everything will be okay.

[00:42:27]  Megan Porta 

So, yeah, that’s a good reminder for all of us we’re not operating on a brain or anything like that. So the post can wait till tomorrow. You’re giving us permission to do lots of things that we need to hear, so thank you for that. I love this chat. I could talk about it forever, but, yeah, just grateful for all of this.

[00:42:46]   

Do you have a favorite quote or when words of inspiration to leave us with? Lauren?

[00:42:51]  Lauren Less 

Yeah, I think. I mean, I think just like the theme of this talk too is like, just permission to, like, take a break, rest, do what you need to do. And I think just like tuning in with yourself and what you really need at any given time is really important instead of listening to what you feel like you should be doing.

[00:43:12]  Megan Porta 

Well said. Perfect end to this amazing episode. We will put together another show notes page for you, Lauren. If you want to look at those, you can go to eatblogtalk.com/lesswithlaur2. And Laur is spelled L A U R. Tell everyone again where they can find you, Lauren.

[00:43:30]  Lauren Less 

You can find me on Instagram, TikTok, Substack, my blog at Less with Laur and less with lair. Yeah. Yay.

[00:43:40]  Megan Porta 

Everyone go check out Lauren’s website and everywhere else she is. And thank you again for being here and thank you so much for listening food bloggers. I will see you next time. 

[00:43:50]   Outro

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Eat Blog Talk. Don’t forget to rate and review Eat Blog Talk on your favorite podcast player. Thank you and I will see you next time.