I find myself co-existing with a very driven crowd of young people today. This population that I speak of, is unlike anything I have ever heard of, or experienced interacting with.
In a capitalistic society, one’s worth is defined by “productivity”. Hence, young people are often under pressure to monetise all their hobbies/skills—which has given birth to all sorts on influencers, touting their wares on the Internet.
Hustle culture can also be understood as burnout culture, workaholism or toxic productivity). It is all about constantly working. Those who hustle attempt to devote as many hours as possible to work. But, working hard and for long has its disadvantages.
Research has shown that increased stress levels lead to reduced professional productivity. To produce quality work, employees must achieve personal satisfaction and conscientiousness rather than simply increase their workload.
A major result of working the way the hustle demands is that it can lead to fatigue. I have seen it in my contemporaries. Burnout, fatigue are big and scary terms to associate a growing adult with. It paints them to be near the beginning of the end.
Recovery and rest are so important in the process of working and being productive. Getting proper sleep, participating in recreational activities or exercising daily, are some prescribed ways of taking a break.