The Problem with Hustle Culture

I remember when I was in university, homework piled upon us like mountains. Every morning before the class, you will hear the corridor buzzing with conversations about how students hardly slept the previous night because of their requirements. As early as college days, we were celebrating hustle culture.

When I had my corporate job, staying late at work to catch up with the insurmountable amount of tasks was the norm. Officemates frowned upon anyone leaving at exactly 5 pm. Overtime was regularly a part of a hard day’s work. But it shouldn’t be.

Karoshi

Karoshi is a Japanese word meaning death by overwork.

Let that sink in for a bit.

In Japan, death by overwork happens a lot, so they had to come up with a term for it. But what’s ironic is that they don’t have a word for hustle culture. Workaholism is just so deeply embedded into their cultural DNA that they believe there is no other way to go about it.

Do we have to wait until our own dictionary comes up with an English word for karoshi?

The Problem with Hustle Culture

I, for one, believe that everything happens for a reason. The world is designed the way it is because nature knows what it’s doing. It’s no coincidence that we have 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week. We certainly do not need more or less than that.

But that seems to be the exact opposite message these hustle culture leaders want to get across.

The problem with hustle culture is that it glorifies overworking. It masks burnout with the idea of productivity. It has redefined the way we work and labels anyone against it as lazy. Hustle culture declares that you should be working 25 hours a day to reach your goals. No resting, just grinding.

But at what cost?

Hustle Culture and our Mental Health

Just very recently, the World Health Organization declared occupational burnout as a recognized syndrome that could drive people to seek medical care. Symptoms of occupational burnout include depression, fatigue, irritability, and reduced professional efficacy, not to mention it can contribute to heart disease and diabetes.

In other words, occupational burnout is the child of hustle culture. I would like to point out, once again, its irony. Hustle culture pushes for hyper-productivity but results in reduced professional efficacy.

The Rise and Grind philosophy may have started out with good intentions, but somewhere along the way, it got twisted into an empty vehicle of false productivity. And anyone who participates in the culture automatically loses.

So, who wins?

Hustle culture is evidently destructive to our lives and society as a whole. Health and labor experts have debunked hustle culture repeatedly, saying that it’s detrimental to our health and the quality of outputs we produce.

But why does it still persist?

This may be controversial, but the only ones that benefit from overworked (but underpaid) employees are huge corporations with little to no regard for humane working conditions. But if we think about it, their wins are short-lived, as in this toxic overworking culture; when employees finally burn out, efficiency levels drop, and employee turnover increases.

Sadly, this has been a problem since the age of industrialization, and it’s hard to know whether or not it’s ending soon.

But, there’s always good news for anyone who wants to break free from this lifestyle: it’s possible!

Rise and Grind? Or Rise and Realign?

Although it’s easier said than done, moving away from the hustle culture is definitely possible with intentional action and determination.

As I have been in the same mindset before, I can say that the tips I will be discussing are merely the first few steps to freedom. It is a daily battle to not fall back into the mindset of so-called “hyper-productivity”, but it certainly gets easier when you attract the right opportunities for you.

>> If you want to know more about the Law of Attraction, check out my other blogs.

What is Healthy Productivity

Healthy productivity is the counterpart of hyper-productivity being pushed by hustle culture. It’s a type of efficiency that generates concrete results (labor-wise) and gives the worker a sense of joy at the same time.

It is when one taps into their strengths and talents to keep the passion alive no matter the task at hand. Healthy productivity results from one being connected with their infinite source of wisdom and trusting genuine intuition.

3 Pillars of Healthy Productivity

1. Self-Care

I am a firm believer and advocate of self-care. You cannot fill another person’s cup if your cup is empty. If you want to be truly productive, you must address your body’s own needs. Respect your rest. Remember, you can never get back lost sleep.

Self-care takes many forms. For you, it may be a day off to watch all Spiderman movies. It could be an afternoon with a podcast playing while they are crocheting a beanie for someone else. For another, it could be a night out with friends in a restaurant and a bar afterward.

Whatever your body is craving, address it. For some of you reading right now, perhaps the most productive thing to do now is to close your phone, tablet, or computer and hit the hay.

2. Redefined Success

One of the things I did to escape the hustle culture was to sit down and have an honest look into my goals and what I am willing to do to achieve them without losing my mental, physical and emotional health, and what that would look like.That has been one of the most meaningful reflections I have had in my adult life. It was insightful, and more importantly, it created a more visual image of what I need to work hard for (or not).

Perhaps, you need to have that hard conversation with yourself. Here’s how I suggest you go about it: write down the daily routine of a successful person – from what they do when they wake up until they lay down and sleep. That will take defining what a successful person looks like to you – and that is different for everyone.

This is when you will realize that it’s not golden doorknobs or piles of cash that define success. It’s a happy life.

3. Love of Craft

One of the oldest tricks in the book: do what you love and love what you do.

But you may be telling yourself right now, “I want to do what I love, but I’m stuck in the job I hate. If I pursue what I actually want, who will pay the bills?”

To that, I have a counter statement: you may not be joyful with what you are doing right now, but you need to appreciate it because it puts food on the table. Other people would kill to have the life you live right now. Be grateful. Once you are thankful, it’s easier to attract opportunities to live the life you want. 

Perhaps, the job your heart desires is not in the corporate world. It may start as a side micro-business selling stuff on Etsy, or creating vlogs and travel videos, maybe even refurbishing old furniture and reselling them. Or maybe it is staying at a corporate job, at a different career or company. Whatever it is, if it brings you joy, just start. Ultimately, it starts with being thankful and following your heart.

Here’s a blog I wrote that will surely help you: How to Practice Gratitude

Reflection Time

So, did you like our topic this week?

Which of the three pillars do you think you need to work on the most?

Which of the three do you think you have right now?

Feel free to share your thoughts on social media, and don’t forget to link this blog and follow me on Instagram!

Have a blissful day!