Surviving Hustle Culture

By Tabitha

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I always find myself wanting to do more. I never think it's enough. Everyone around me is doing so well, why aren't I? I challenge myself with new activities, jobs and subjects to learn every day so I can be experienced in as many things as possible but then I start to compare myself against those who are doing so well at everything that they are versatile at. What is it that I need to do to get to their level?

Hustle culture is the idea of overworking to the point it becomes a lifestyle. They romanticise no breaks, always finding a way to be productive and make money. Each day you’re exerting yourself and having no time for personal breaks. This is often seen on a lot of “motivational” reels or TikToks that you must always find yourself having to do something productive or you’re not progressing at all. It makes those who decide to have a break or time for themselves look bad, and those who are constantly reading, finding another way to make money or working as the ideal person.

I live through hustle culture on a regular basis. At my age, I've seen so many successful people and businesses that ultimately encourage me but sometimes I overdo it. Currently, I work three different jobs, do an internship, volunteer, self-study, and have my own business. As much as it sounds amazing that I am able to do these many things, the truth is, I am struggling to keep up with everything that I’m doing.

In my gap year, I wanted to maximise my potential and improve myself as much as possible with as many experiences as I could. Therefore, I outlined what was important to me and where to focus my time. I told myself that I wanted to get an internship to keep me focused on finishing my degree, experience within production design as that was the career path I wanted to follow, and continue to self-study so I could keep my skills and knowledge up for when I return back to university, have a sustainable source of income and focus on my business. I saw that it was a lot but I was confident that I could achieve all these things in my gap year. However, I got so obsessed with getting all these opportunities that I was afraid I would never get them again, so I just continued to add more to my plate to the point I would have constant breakdowns or struggle to get things done in time.

Hustle culture never looks at the struggles you face while getting to where you want to be. Only the benefits you reap. This lifestyle isn't for everyone. It leads to breakdowns, encourages the quantity over quality mindset and makes young people believe that just hard work will equal success.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to take on multiple roles, activities or even hobbies. However, if you do, you must remember to take time for yourself, focusing on your mental and physical health. Make sure you always incorporate some type of wind downtime so you don't get caught up in the chaos of overloading yourself. If work or school is demanding a lot from you, try to prioritise each task and let them know that you may not be able to complete it to your best quality or you may need more time. If you're struggling, ask for help. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. Don't suffer on your own. Here are my three tips for surviving hustle culture:

1. Start with changing your mindset about hustle culture. Don’t glorify it as it’s not something we should be encouraging young people to be going through. Things are getting harder as we understand ourselves more and we need to find the best way to be our healthiest selves.
   
2. Slow down. It’s okay to take time to slow down and work out how you want to prioritise your time. Scheduling always helps to organise your time. Check out “Organise Your Time, Organise Your Life!” for tips on how to schedule and organise your time.
   
3. Focus on your personal goals. This way you’re not comparing yourself to others or getting distracted by what other people are doing in their lives. You should always be the top priority to yourself.
   

Although I am still caught up in the hustle culture mindset, I'm working on better organising my time and prioritising my jobs so that I can have time to rest and focus on my mental health. I’ve actually managed to do everything that I sought to do in my gap year and I’m learning how to balance it. Some people thrive in high-stress situations where they are put under a lot of pressure from all the work they undertake, and others find it difficult to juggle. Find the perfect work/life balance for you. You don't need social media to validate whether what you're doing is enough. Just take it at your own pace and challenge yourself when you feel ready.