Without even thinking about it, I am constantly aiming to fill my time by being “productive,” no matter how exhausting it is. This atmosphere of hustle culture is prevalent among millennials, continually pressuring us to always operate at maximum capacity and do more with our time. Even when we should be resting, guilt is itching at us to be doing something else. This phenomenon is symptomatic of a uniquely American form of hypercapitalism, convincing us that time is for working, not enjoying.
The glorification of pulling all-nighters and filling our calendars means that we spend more time checking things off our to-do lists and less time taking care of ourselves. Neglecting our personal needs for the sake of productivity takes a toll on our health, contributing to rising rates of anxiety and depression. Hustle culture is so omnipresent that it is easy to get caught up in what we are doing instead of asking why we are doing it in the first place.
Quarantine was one of the biggest opportunities for many of us to finally take a deep breath and stop worrying about decisions and deadlines. The time spent in lockdown served as a reminder to be more kind to ourselves and that it was okay if the most productive thing we did all day made it through. However, even as restrictions continue to ease up and life is returning “back to normal,” we have the power to create a new normal. Slowing down on hustle culture means that rest can actually be relaxing, and work can actually fulfill us. We no longer have to trap ourselves into thinking that life is some sort of competition or that we need to devote all our time working for something.