There’s no gentle way to say it, so I’ll get straight to the point: hustle culture is shit. It’s the perfect recipe to wreck your physical and mental health, creeping up on you when you least expect it.
It sounds harsh, but, that’s kind of the point. We need to reverse the rhetoric that more work equals more money, power, success, and ultimately, happiness. No, ma’am. That’s outdated advice, and that’s not the journey we are taking today. It’s time to ditch the grind and reclaim your sanity.
First of all, who am I, right? I’m not a psychologist, therapist, or successful entrepreneur with a billion-dollar company. I’m just a simple girl with the same dream: a successful career that produces a sizeable salary. Anything else would be a lie.
Except, at a point (call it a midlife crisis in my 30s), a shift occurred. I began reading about other experiences and I could relate. There are other people out there who don’t want to waste their lives working every minute? Or maybe I’m just a lazy Millennial. You know the type. The one Boomers like to blame for all the world’s problems (or did that shift to Gen Z?). Either way, if you too need some reassurance that you aren’t alone and you don’t have to hustle and grind to be successful, this one’s for you.
Why Do People Fall for Hustle Culture?
So, why do we get trapped in hustle culture? Simple—it’s addictive. There’s something weirdly glamorous about being busy 24/7. It’s an exclusive club and we all want to be part of it. Except the price of admission is your soul.
And there’s this constant promise of future success. If you just work hard enough, put in enough hours, sacrifice enough… you’ll make it big someday. Or at the very least, live out your 2000s hip-hop dreams: “Every day I’m hustlin’”. It becomes an identity we strive for and the fantasy is intoxicating.
The Allure of Hustle Culture
- Promise of Success: We’re sold on the idea that endless work will lead to money, status, and career advancement. Social media influencers and entrepreneurs often further this belief.
- Badge of Honor: Being busy is glamorized. It’s like a sign that you’re productive or, at the very least, important.
- Control: Hustle culture fools us into thinking we completely control our destiny. If we grind hard enough, we’ll “make it.”
- Fear of Falling Behind: We’re terrified of slowing down. Especially as parents, we feel pressure to keep up with other families, always striving to give our kids the best. And this pressure hits HARD.
The History of Hustle Culture
1970s: The idea that working non-stop guarantees success starts to spread.
1990s: Silicon Valley hires young people and promises huge rewards for working ridiculous amounts of hours.
2000s: Smartphones and the internet make it easier to work 24/7. After all, your phone is never far away.
2010s: Social media pushes the hustle narrative even further. Influencers make it seem like constant work is the only way to achieve anything.
Now: People are finally realizing that hustle culture is toxic, and work-life balance actually matters.
Hurrah!
Don’t get me wrong. Hard work is important. But hustle culture is next level exertion. It’s not just about working hard–it’s the whole making work your entire life thing. And that’s where it gets messy
These ideas create a lot of hope. And as our favorite (gross) CEO, Elon Musk, says:
No one ever changed the world on 40 hours a week
This glorification of extreme work hours as the path to success is scary. But it’s not without its cost. Because nothing in life is free.
The Ugly Truth About Hustle Culture
In theory, hustle culture sounds great: work hard now, succeed later, and live your dream life. But real life doesn’t work that way. Here’s why:
Burnout Is Inevitable
Going full speed indefinitely? Hate to say it, but you can only duck burnout for so long. Hustle culture ignores the need for rest and, eventually, your body will stop going along with it.
Work-Life Balance Is Non Existent
Hustling all the time leaves practically no room for family, friends, or even yourself. For parents already stretched thin with family duties, this can push you to your breaking point.
You’re More Than Your Job
You are more than your fears, looks, wealth, and in this case, job. You are a complex human and you don’t identify with any one thing.
Hustle culture ties your self-worth to your job. But you’re more than your work title—don’t let this mindset steal your sense of self.
Why Hustle Culture Is Toxic for Parents
As parents, we’re expected to do it all—crush it at work, keep the household functioning, and still have time for kids’ activities. Oh, and ourselves. Hustle culture makes this impossible, at least without consequences.
Your Mental Health Matters
Let’s be real—grinding away 80 hours a week is bad for your mental health. Anxiety and stress will eventually catch up to you.
Your Physical Health Matters
If the mental health toll isn’t scary enough, studies have shown working long hours is directly tied to heart disease and strokes. Plus sleep deprivation and a weakened immune system. Your body will eventually tap out, and it won’t be pretty.
Work Is Just One Part of Life
When every waking moment is consumed by the grind, everything else is largely an afterthought. Productivity is great, but what’s the point if you’re working to enjoy life and then miss it as it goes by?
How to Break Free from Hustle Culture
Now that we’ve established hustle culture is toxic, how do we escape it? People everywhere–successful people–are encouraging this approach to work. And sure, many of those people have money and thriving businesses. So how is their mental health, or their physical health? According to studies, it probably sucks. So we can quit buying into this BS that work is everything.
Redefine Success
We’re conditioned to equate success with career and cash. Sure, your job matters—it’s a big part of life and funds your lifestyle. But is it everything? Hell no.
Imagine waking up to discover you’re filthy rich, but you spend all your time working. You’re clocking 70-hour weeks (maybe more) and your social and family lives–nonexistent. How do you feel? A success story? Maybe for hustle junkies. For most of us, that’s a hard pass. We crave relationships, hobbies, and not dying of stress.
So, what’s happiness? Probably, some mix of personal goals, values, and experiences. We’re looking beyond those lofty goals of the big, but lonely corner office.
Prioritize What Truly Matters
What are your priorities? If you aren’t sure, that’s okay. I was in the same boat, letting my actions do the talking. But here’s the catch: we’ve got it backwards.
Here’s your homework: grab a pen and jot down all your values. Family, career, love, health, being a kickass parent, safety, ride-or-die friendships, flexibility, not being a jackass–whatever they are. Now comes the fun part: prioritize the list. It’s harder than it sounds. But trust me, it’s oh so worth it.
Not to sound dramatic, but once you have a clear grasp on your priorities, everything changes.
Set Boundaries Like a Boss
You can succeed at work without killing yourself. It’s true. So set clear boundaries. As a parent, your time with family is non-negotiable—don’t let the grind take that from you. Sometimes people feel guilty about setting boundaries, but we know our values (in priority order, thank you). And we are going to start living by them. So ditch the guilt.
Take Breaks and Toss the Guilt
Rest is not lazy. Hustle culture makes you feel like you need to be productive 24/7, but sometimes, doing nothing is the most productive thing you can do. So if you want to take a nap, take a nap. And if you want to stare at the ceiling and give zero fucks, do it.
3 Steps to Success Without the Hustle
Ready for some good news? You can crush it without killing yourself. Ever heard of the law of diminishing returns?
What the Hell is The Law Of Diminishing Returns?
As parents, we’re basically circus performers juggling work, family, and that mythical thing called personal time. But understanding how our efforts translate into productivity is crucial.
- Linear Curve: The more you do, the more you get. Simple, right? Think household chores like washing dishes or folding laundry. Boring, but straightforward.
- Diminishing Returns Curve: After a point, more effort brings smaller results. It’s like watering a plant – at first, it’s great, but keep going and you’ll drown the thing. This is the case with most problem-solving tasks.
- Inverted Curve: Push too hard, and things go south. Like baking cookies–perfect at the right time, but forget to take them out and you’ve got rocks. Yum.
Most of us fall into the diminishing returns or inverted curve categories. Why? Because jobs usually involve some brain power. Even if your job starts linear, you’ll likely hit that diminishing returns wall eventually.
We’re wired to think linearly, but in reality, jobs aren’t linear. At some point, your productivity nosedives and you’re just churning out crappy ideas. So those extra hours? Probably not paying off like you think.
Step 1: Shift from Grind to Growth
Hustle culture’s been fed to us since birth. Work hard, buy cool stuff, rinse, repeat. But hot take: focus less on professional hustle and more on personal goals. You’ll actually have time for learning new skills, and hanging out with family and friends.
Creating balance can help you feel more fulfilled and less like a hamster on a wheel. Just spinning, spinning, spinning.
Step 2: Celebrate Small Wins
We often think we need large-scale, transformative changes to feel accomplished. Gentle reminder: we don’t. Start celebrating small victories in both personal and professional areas. Got the whole fam talking at the dinner table? That’s a win. Squeezed in a workout? Another win. Drank your coffee while it was still hot? Now we’re talkin’.
Step 3: Surround Yourself with Like-Minded People
I guess I should provide some context. We don’t have to drop all our friends and only associate with those who share our identical views. It means finding people who get the whole work-life balance thing. Ditch the hustle addicts on your social media. Find other parents trying to break free from the grind. Motivate each other to create balance.
The Bottom Line
This feels like a good time to acknowledge none of this is easy. If it were, we’d all be living our best lives, sipping margaritas on the beach. But no, we’re stuck in the grind, hustlin for that sweet success story.
Change won’t happen overnight. We don’t need to suddenly peace out of work at 5 pm with a dramatic mic drop (tempting as it is) to get the point across. But we can start setting boundaries, inching towards a healthier lifestyle, and rewriting the rules – one small win at a time.
