What Is Hustle Culture? All You Need to Know

In a world that glorifies the hustle culture, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The word "hustle" has taken on new meaning in the last decade and is now often associated with long hours, hard work and success. While working hard has its benefits, it also has its drawbacks. And if you're not careful, hustling can quickly become an addiction that takes over your life. In this blog post, we'll define hustling, explore the pros and cons of hustling, and share tips on how you can build a healthy hustle culture in your life. We also look at some examples of people and organizations that embody a healthy hustle culture.

1. The definition of hustle culture

In short, it's a cultural phenomenon that glorifies long hours and puts career above all else. The term was coined by author Erin Griffith in a 2015 article for Fast Company. In the article, Griffith defined hustle culture as "the new work ethic of our time," characterized by a 24/7 work attitude, the blending of work and personal life, and an obsession with productivity.

For years, there has been a lot of hype around hustle culture. Social media is full of hustle hashtags, hustle quotes, and hustle inspiration. We see hustle as synonymous with success. But is hustling really the key to success?

2. The advantages and disadvantages of hustling

Hustle culture has been on the rise in recent years as more and more people strive for professional success. And while hustling can certainly lead to professional success, it also has its drawbacks.

Achieving your career goals is probably the biggest benefit of Hustling. If you hustle, you are more likely to advance in your career and have the success you seek. It's also a great way to learn discipline that you can apply to other areas of your life - once you've learned it through Hustling.

But if you're not careful, the dangers can easily outweigh the benefits.

One of the biggest dangers of the hustle culture is that it can lead to burnout. When you're on the clock 24/7, there's no time for rest, relaxation or self-care. As a result, you quickly become physically and emotionally exhausted, which can have a major impact on your work performance.

Another downside to the hustle culture is that it can lead to a competitive and stressful work environment. When everyone around you is hustling, it can feel like you have to hustle to keep up, too. This can lead to unhealthy levels of stress and anxiety, as well as feelings of isolation and loneliness.

The third disadvantage I would like to point out is the impact on your social circle. There are countless divorces that are due to one of the partners neglecting their relationship and therefore neglecting the other. The same can happen with children, siblings and friends. When you get involved in hustling, you should always make sure that you schedule time with your social circle.

3. How to recognize if you are in a healthy hustle culture or not

So how can you tell if you're living in a healthy hustle culture or not? There are a few key indicators. First, look at your work-life balance. If you're constantly hustling, there's no room left in your life for anything else. This can lead to burnout and bitterness. Second, watch your stress level. If you feel stressed all the time, the hustle culture could be to blame. Finally, ask yourself if you're happy. If you're not enjoying your work, it's time to reevaluate your hustle culture.

4. Tips for a healthy hustle culture in your own life.

If you want to create a healthy hustle culture in your own life, there are a few things you can do. First, set boundaries between work and life. Make sure you take time for yourself, even if it's just a few minutes a day. Second, prioritize your well-being. Don't sacrifice your health and happiness in the name of hustle culture. Third, create a supportive community for yourself. Find like-minded people who value work-life balance and can help you stay on track.

5. Examples of people and organizations that embody a healthy hustle culture.

There are many people and organizations that embody a healthy busyness culture. One example is Basecamp, a project management software company. Basecamp has a strict 40-hour work week, and employees are encouraged to take time off when they need it. As a result, employees are more productive and engaged, and turnover is low.

Another example is the wellness company Black Girl in Om. Founded by Lauren Ash, the company provides resources and support for black women to live healthy and balanced lives. Black Girl in Om embodies the hustle culture in a healthy way by promoting self-care and work-life balance.

6. The Anti-Hustle Culture: Quiet Quitting is on the rise

Quiet Quitting is an emerging anti-hustle culture based on the principles of calm and self-care. But there's more to it than that. This phenomenon gained momentum during and especially after the first two years of the Corona pandemic.

Quiet Quitting doesn't just encourage people to slow down, take a break and focus on their well-being. The goal is to stop doing more for your employer than is contractually required.

While employers still often expect their employees to give their all to the company, the mindset of these employees is increasingly changing.

This is done for the following reason:

Lack of loyalty

And no, I'm not talking about employee loyalty to the company - but the other way around.

During the pandemic, many dedicated people were furloughed or dismissed altogether. Regardless of the sacrifices they had made in the past.

In other situations, employers have simply gone a notch too high, setting expectations for unpaid overtime and the like above the threshold.

In other cases, it is the case that all of the employee's efforts above and beyond the contract have not resulted in a promotion or pay increase.

It is a growing trend for people to stop doing more than the contractual minimum and either build a side job, focus on personal projects, or look for a new job while maintaining the bare minimum of work ethic.

You see, it's about more than a more sustainable work style that doesn't lead to burnout.

If you want to learn more about Quiet Quitting, check out our blog post on the topic. We explore EVERYTHING about this new phenomenon.

All right, that's it. Now you know about the hustle culture and can distinguish between unhealthy and healthy variants. Whether it's something for you, you have to find out for yourself.

What do you think of the hustle culture? Have you experienced its advantages or disadvantages? Let us know by sending us a message on Instagram or an email.