June 7, 2021 by Amanda Rondez

Technology allows this generation’s workforce to constantly be at work. Emails, texts and messages can be exchanged at any hour of the day, anywhere. The pandemic has blurred the lines between work and personal life even more and has heightened feelings of guilt from a pause in productivity for many people.

This pressure to be ceaselessly productive is a notion that’s reminiscent of workaholism and is now affecting younger people who aren't in the workforce yet as well. 

“What's the difference between hustle culture and workaholism?” asks business administration graduate Nicole Walsworth. ”I feel like workaholism is, not to generationalize all this, but it's almost something inherent to Baby Boomers and (workaholism has) sort of been rebranded for millennials and Gen Z's as hustle culture.”

“Hustle culture is the societal standard that you can only succeed by exerting yourself at max capacity professionally” according to Impact. Hustle culture can make us feel like we need to dedicate every waking hour to work, school, or developing a new skill—and love it. Similarly, toxic productivity is the unhealthy inclination to be productive and focused on self-improvement constantly.

Hundreds of social media accounts promote this lifestyle through motivational quotes which emphasize the value of working long hours. Posts reading “Hustler’s don’t sleep, they nap” and “Find the excuse, or find the energy” inadvertently tell users to prioritize work over their health. 

Productive morning routine videos on YouTube and TikTok where people document their mornings of waking up at 5 A.M. or even 4 A.M. to maximize their time garner hundreds of thousands of views. The hashtag and slogan #ThankGodItsMonday celebrates the workplace and taking on the week with enthusiasm. 

A 2014 Gallup poll reported that full-time employees in the U.S. work an average of 47 hours per week, nearly a full workday more than the standard 40-hour work week. Additionally, 25 percent of salaried employees work more than 60 hours per week.

“There are way easier places to work, but nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week” says Elon Musk’s tweet in reference to his companies.

Yahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer says that you can work more than 130 hours a week “if you’re strategic about when you sleep, when you shower, and how often you go to the bathroom. The nap rooms at Google were there because it was safer to stay in the office than walk to your car at 3 a.m.”

Hustle culture isn’t exclusive to the workforce, these pressures can start as early as high school or college. Colleges and universities are places where people develop themselves personally and professionally, which can lead to pressures to reach high-achievement and become heavily involved on campus, all while maintaining a social life. 

“I pretty much felt (hustle culture) from the first time I stepped on campus as a freshman,” said Walsworth. They said the pressures of hustle culture came internally as well as externally, from peers and faculty.

“It definitely came from internally, I feel like it's something that is common in women and feminine presenting people. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be very perfect, and then also from peers in the sense of you see them doing all these amazing things, and you're like, okay, ‘why can't I do that’?” Walsworth said.

Come their junior year, they were balancing involvements and leadership positions for two organizations on top of classes, which took a heavy toll on their health. 

“I lost 10 pounds over the course of the [winter] quarter and I slept maybe five hours in a given day as well.” they said, “So [being busy was] absolute trash on my physical well-being, and I thought I was doing well.”

It’s no surprise that there are consequences and sacrifices made to work to such lengths including sleep, personal life, relationships and health. 

 A 2017 study of Portuguese AESE-Business School alumni found that longer working hours (over 48 hours per week) are associated with poorer mental health, higher levels of anxiety and depression, reduced sleep time and more sleep disturbances.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is no easy task, and it’s not feasible for many people. A survey by Sleepjunkie reported that 66 percent of respondents who work more than 50 hours per week did so because they have to, not because they chose to. A majority of respondents who worked more than 50 hours a week had multiple jobs. 

“The hustle is an idea, a discourse and a survival strategy often glorified as economic opportunity. It is an ode to a type of capitalism that cannot secure the futures of anyone but the wealthiest. But its popularity lies in how hustling can feel like an equal-opportunity strategy.” Tressie McMillan Cottom said in the Time article Nearly 6 Decades After the Civil Rights Act, Why Do Black Workers Still Have to Hustle to Get Ahead?

The United States’ income inequality is rising while economic mobility is declining. White Americans have more wealth than Black, Latino, and Native American households and this gap is widening according to the balance.

The demands of work and productivity will persist, but your health and personal time should be prioritized and given attention to as much as possible.

Recognizing and preventing burnout

Cal Poly alumnus Chris Childers felt the effects of burnout and exhaustion at his previous job. He found himself saying no to spending time with friends due to work commitments, and it was then he started questioning “Is this worth it?”

“I didn't gracefully figure out that this wasn't something I wanted to do. I very much burned out and reached this point where I just completely lacked the energy to gracefully move on.” Childers said, “So I ended up quitting, quitting my finance job, and just taking time to just reset.”

Sophomore business administration student Layna Hathaway is focusing on a smaller pool of commitments that she’s passionate about this year. She felt that she couldn’t balance her many past involvements in a healthy way. 

“Throughout my time in college, I've learned the importance of saying no, and that it's okay to say no” Hathaway said, “And I think another thing that I do now is I will only involve myself in things or commitments that I know I give 100 percent to and that I'm really passionate about.”

Walsworth suggests having quarterly check-ins with yourself by setting time aside to reflect and write down how you’re feeling to recognize if any changes to your life can be made. 

“Ask yourself, ‘Am I truly happy? Why do I feel burnt out?’ List the reasons why, take hours if you need to. Make like a pro and con list of ‘What exactly is helping me right now? What is draining me? What can I move my effort into?’” Walsworth suggested. “What can I get out of my life? Because at the end of the day it's your life, you get to decide what you do with the time. And if you are spending time doing something that doesn't bring you joy, that doesn't really bring you much besides a cool thing on your resume, then just don’t do it.”

Make your health a priority

Mental and physical health often take a back seat to work or studying for many people. Your health and wellbeing deserves to be prioritized along with other commitments. 

Time during the pandemic has allowed Walsworth to reflect on their unhealthy habits in the past and is taking the time to develop healthier patterns for their mental and physical health. 

“Letting myself sleep for eight hours a day, that was a given.” Walsworth said, “[I] drink more water, allow more time to myself—don't always be online or on the clock ready to take whatever task comes my way.”

Hathaway makes sure there’s time to spend with her friends and time for herself when balancing her schedule. 

“As much as I want to get good grades and be really involved on campus at Cal Poly, I also prioritize being a good friend and taking care of myself, knowing that all of those things take time as well.” Hathaway said.

Find your “Why” in work-life balance

Work-life balance is often talked about, but is difficult to measure or achieve. Childers believes that work-life balance is a synonym for living a fulfilled life, determined by how one’s passions and work intersect. He believes work is more sustainable if there’s a sense of purpose behind it.

“[Ask yourself] what do you really want to do? And then when you lack that reason, then the hard work becomes very meaningless to you.” Childers said, “I think that's really the cause of burnout, is definitely feeling like you lack any kind of purpose in doing what you're doing.” 

Gallup reports that highly engaged workers have better overall well-being than disengaged workers, even if they work more than 40 hours per week.

Cal Poly professor Dr. Ronda Beaman echoes that internal motivation is key to work-life balance.

“People will tell you, it’s about planning, it’s about energy. But it’s really about your why, you know, why you want to start a company, do well at school, why it matters to you.”

— dr. beaman, orfalea college of business

 Dr. Beaman said. “The what is your school and your project, but the why is the thing that really drives you. So when you have a big enough why, the how takes care of itself, as they say.”