Hustle culture has reached a peak in modern society. From a young age, we’re pushed into various sports and activities, and to compete for a spot in a good university we need stellar extracurriculars, volunteer hours, and honors. Our formative years are filled with these engagements, initially promising fun and allure. Yet, as we mature, the stark reality dawns on our adult consciousness – this ceaseless cycle is life. The expectation persists to perpetually strive, push boundaries, and remain constantly occupied. This pattern seeps into our adult existence, where having multiple income streams is no longer a choice merely for savings but a necessity to secure wealth for our future generations.
Amid the surge in mental health concerns due to burnout, this culture raises questions regarding the division of time between physical exertion and mental repose.
This hustle culture so focused on always keeping busy fails to recognize the need for our bodies and minds to rest. Burnout stemming from hustle culture signifies a perpetual state of stress and exhaustion fueled by the relentless pursuit of excessive work. It glorifies busyness and overexertion while disregarding the consequences of physical and emotional fatigue, ultimately leading to diminished efficiency over time. This notion that success is exclusively derived from unwavering productivity, neglecting the significance of mental well-being and elevating work above all else.
One may think that taking a break from the source of the burnout weather that may be school or work, would allow for replenishment. An article released by a psychoanalysis therapist suggests that “doing nothing,” similarly provides the same condition of fatigue associated with burnout. Abruptly halting the routines of daily life does not abstain one from societal pressures. Often, individuals experiencing burnout opt for a break not due to sheer mental and physical exhaustion, but rather as a response to decreased efficiency. They fill their days with leisure activities instead of truly halting everything, fearing that idleness is a waste of precious time. They find themselves filling up their days with leisure activities instead of putting a halt to everything because they feel that doing nothing is a waste of good time. By the time they’re back, they haven’t rested physically or mentally, and the cycle begins once again. In this context, “doing nothing” implies a state of mental and physical relaxation. How is it that society has indirectly convinced us that not doing something at all times is unacceptable?
Doing nothing, in this sense, places an emphasis on the actions of taking measures to allow yourself peace like resolving underlying issues that cause stress and anxiety. Too often we attempt physical relaxation while still ruminating on these stressors, yielding no positive outcomes. Addressing these stressors is imperative to resolve a state of burnout. Only then can engaging in “doing nothing” be truly effective.
However, this doesn’t discount the validity and success of hustle culture, which has seen remarkable breakthroughs in recent years through platforms like social media and secondary incomes such as stock investing. Nevertheless, when hustle leads to an accumulation of exhaustion directly impacting one’s work, prioritizing moments of “doing nothing” becomes crucial. Rest and reset days shouldn’t be perceived as a lack of productivity, but rather as what they truly are – essential periods for rest.
Works Cited
Cohen, Josh. “The Way Of Burnout.” The Economist, The Economist Newspaper, 28 July 2016, www.economist.com/1843/2016/07/28/the-way-out-of-burnout.
Johnston, Bria. “Doing Nothing On Your Holiday.” The Age, 22 July 2023, pp. 26–26.
Smyth, Ronan. “Graham: I Spend Most Of My Time Doing Nothing.” Daily Mail, 6 July 2022.