By Karen Espig

Hustle culture is not a new concept; it is the American Dream on steroids. It is the idea that if you work hard and persevere, you can achieve whatever you define as success—a good education, a sense of fulfilment, a home of your own, a level of comfort, etc.

At its best, it may indeed bring you success, but it also carries the potential to lead to burnout or a breakdown.

There is a fine line between hustling in the short-term to achieve your dreams and being addicted to being busy for the sake of it. Let’s examine this phenomenon further.

The Hustle

But wait, isn’t a strong work ethic and desire to improve your life and that of those around you a good thing? Obviously, but if all those work hours and single focus aren’t balanced with equally important aspects of life, such as personal relationships and mental health, the outcome won’t meet your expectations.

We are bombarded with social media content by influencers and average peeps alike… showing us how much they have achieved, how fast it happened, and how much money and attention they garnered. And it looks fabulous. Hustle culture feeds on Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and tells us we need to keep productive to keep up.

The fact is, if your favourite YouTuber or TikToker is doing it the way they say, they are headed for burnout. They will likely write a book or do a video telling you all about it at a later date. They will inevitably reveal that hustle culture is something to avoid, not embrace.

The Perceived Perks

For some, work and financial gain are core elements of self-worth, and extra hours or heavy workloads translate into promotions, pay increases, and praise. Thanks to the mixed blessing of technology, people can literally work anywhere and at any time… or all the time.

Unfortunately, many employers are more than willing to let you go for it. Indirectly, keeping yourself constantly busy with work and personal projects may help you avoid all kinds of uncomfortable situations, especially in your personal and home life. However, this is a very short-lived perk and usually comes with serious fallout. 

The Real Effects

Unfortunately, burnout is very prevalent in hustle culture. If it happens to you, your hustle will flip to the complete opposite experience—chronic fatigue, lack of motivation, and limited productivity. To avoid burnout, it is essential to have some downtime to allow your mind and body to rest and recover. 

Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression often arise as a result of chronic stress. Hustle culture brings the chronic stress of being busy and productive, as well as performing and achieving success. When you don’t or cannot meet those expectations it can chip away at your self-esteem and confidence.

Your personal relationships will suffer if your time and attention are predominantly in hustle mode. The downtime that you do have may make you too tired to enjoy time with loved ones, or it may become poor quality in terms of engagement or connection.

In the larger picture, hustle culture creates a toxic workplace for everyone with its far-reaching expectations. If colleagues aren’t hustling at the same level, they may be afraid to miss out on promotions or be seen as lazy. Employers may begin to expect or demand longer hours or increased workloads.

Hustle Healthy

A hustle mindset is not necessarily a bad thing; it can be a catalyst for innovation and change in science, technology, and entertainment—you name it. It can also be rewarding and exciting for the entrepreneurial folk among us. The key is to maintain a healthy balance and keep things in perspective. Check in with yourself regularly.

To hustle healthily, it’s crucial to be clear about your goals and how you define success. Remember to include your personal life as part of the package. Set clear boundaries around when you are working and when you are focused on rest and relationships, and most importantly, stick to them.

If you are the boss or in a leadership role, it’s up to you to set an example and encourage employees and colleagues to prioritise work-life balance. Create policies or have discussions about flexible hours or alternative work arrangements. A healthy workplace culture is more productive than a toxic one.

Ultimately, we are all responsible for making decisions about our work-life balance. Still, intense social and economic pressures are often at play, too.

People may take on side hustles as a practical solution to pay the bills, to create a new business, or as an exit strategy from their 9-to-5. Whatever the reason or the hours/effort required, being in a good mental and physical state will serve you well in the long term.

It is no surprise that hustle culture is also known as burnout culture and grind culture. Don’t let it take over your life.