Hustling Could Be Bottling One’s Needs

WRITTEN BY : Aliah Nicole C. Brillante

LAYOUT BY : Regine Jeza E. Enclona

Have you ever felt the need to work aggressively and incessantly to the point where it has already become a lifestyle, or embraced the mentality that there is always something more or a higher wall to climb in spite of nonstop efforts? Perhaps you are now under the impression that constant grinding is the solitary route to success. Welcome to the hustle culture!

Also known as grind culture, and burnout culture, the hustle culture is a notion embraced by many, wherein one places work at the center of life, and considers rest as a type of surrender. Among younger generations, this has been regarded as the standard in measuring progress and productivity. For students, in particular, it has been a means to somehow excel and manage piles of deadlines effectively.

The Root of the Culture

With the rise of productivity and study with me videos in the past years, media consumers are being unconsciously pressured to mimic the extent of work accomplished by the people they watch. Although this can be a needed push to attain multiple things at once, some promote the glorification of overworking and toxic productivity at the same time.

This culture imprints on people’s minds that always going the extra mile and devoting more time at work will magically make the present tiredness worthwhile. Individuals practicing the culture are further motivated to continue this path because of the rewards awaiting in exchange for their grit and sacrifice.

More Harmful than Helpful

With overworking being considered a badge of honor, shame has been linked to taking breaks and doing less for hustlers. This makes them feel hesitant to pause during sickness and accommodate personal time. In turn, physical health is oftentimes at risk. The culture also forces positivity beyond a person’s boundaries and tends to neglect the emotional aspect of a person. Hence, burnout is a usual consequence.

As more motivational videos are easily accessible to everyone, they may heavily encourage comparisons as they mostly only portray the perfect side of working. This may influence the mental capacity of an individual as it mostly pinpoints the things that a person lacks in contrast to other people, which frequently results in an outlook that one isn’t doing enough in life.

Hustling is additionally characterized by multitasking to easily achieve goals. However, what a lot of people are unaware of is that studies confirm that productive multitasking is a misnomer as the brain is incapable of performing multiple tasks that require high-level brain function at the same time. With this, efficiency and performance are compromised as organization, concentration, and attention to detail become difficult tasks while switching from one activity to another.

Finding Balance

One of the potentially emerging responses to the hustle culture is quiet quitting, which is the exact opposite, and refers to doing the bare minimum and rejecting the mindset that work has to take over one’s life. This draws clear boundaries and awareness as to when someone can be invited to rest or work hard.

Yet, beyond this surfacing term is the call for a better balance— a life binding self-acceptance and self-growth, and prioritizing rest as much as work. By holding oneself accountable for their own wellness, and scheduling time for work and play, workaholics can slowly transition to a life past the hustle and bustle, and redefine success as something that really matters to them, rather than the route that everyone else takes.