Dear Hustle Culture,
We are through.
I love having a chaotic schedule and seeming super busy as much as the next girl. Honestly, I do. I love tweeting about meetings and homework, working and posting perfectly stylized photos of my readings and highlighters on my Instagram story. I love telling people that I “don’t know what my schedule is looking like yet,” as I visualize the rainbow of events on my Google Calendar. I think the appeal of the appearance is just too easy. If you are not busy and sharing it with the world, what are you doing? If you are busy, that means you are in demand. If you are in demand that means you are successful, right? And that’s something you should share with everyone, isn’t it?
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I wrestle with the infatuation with being busy, or the so-called “hustle culture,” on a daily basis. I want to seem like I’m needed at every meeting or event like the show can’t go on without me, like I’m always at work making money, or like the schoolwork is never-ending and I’m pushing a mountain of responsibility. (I know I am not the only one!) This concept of being overbooked and seeing that as a thing that defines your work ethic is everywhere. I heard a podcast recently where the major takeaway was that if you even spend a few minutes scrolling on Instagram or if you are not working while you shovel your lunch down your throat, you are wasting your time. I mean, you can’t even take a break to eat? Appalling. As the internet becomes more and more obsessed with the hustle, I can’t help but wonder why we are tying our self-worth to work.
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The longer I’ve been in college, the more I feel like I need to pack my schedule in. It’s hard to say no to things when there are meetings for clubs that will look great on my résumé or exciting events to attend and opportunities that may never come up again. At the same time, the longer I have been in college, the more I realize that sometimes it is just not feasible or desirable to be doing everything at once. Sometimes it’s 6 p.m. and I just got out of class and the last thing I want to do is go to a club meeting. Other days I haven’t eaten because I’ve been working, and there is no way in hell you’re going to catch me at an hours-long event when the only thing I can think about is food. Over the years I have made it a point to think about myself and my wellbeing before I think about my calendar or my resume. And yeah, maybe it doesn’t make me seem like I’m working as hard, but at least I’m still standing.
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With access to social media 24/7 and to the thoughts and voices of celebrities and influencers at the touch of a button, it’s hard to imagine a time where we can just shut off–where we don’t have to be accessible to anyone or anything for work or input. It’s hard to imagine a time where we don’t feel like we have to show everyone how hard we are working just to feel like we are worth something. It’s not healthy to work all the time and to value yourself solely based on said work. We are so much more than that!
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Personally, I have to call it quits with the 24/7 work and the idea of constant hustling. In attempts to reconcile a good work ethic and a healthy mental state, it has become important to me to take all of the breaks. It has become more important to me to see my friends and to see my family than it has been to work through hours. Working hard is admirable and for some, it’s non-negotiable. In the end, though, it’s important to remember that there’s more value to life.
So with that, Hustle Culture, it’s over.