Hustle culture impacting your mental health? Here’s how to deal
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA
Learn what hustle culture is, including common signs and the negative impact it can have on mental health. Plus, how to deal with hustle culture at work.
Hustle culture is woven into the fabric of society, from the constant buzz of phone notifications to the humblebrags of how busy people are. Nobody really “clocks out” anymore — and for many people, staying late at work, even when they don’t have to, or working during their time off signals commitment.
Social media only exacerbates this mindset, with influencers glorifying early morning workouts, side hustles, and back-to-back meetings as the gold standard for success. The message? If you’re not constantly grinding, you’re failing.
Think your hobbies can be a respite from hustle culture? Not always. Simple pleasures like baking or drawing can morph into opportunities to turn a profit, transforming passion projects into side gigs. And when it comes to relaxation, the pressure to optimize is just as strong. For many, self-care has become another item on the to-do list, leaving little room for true rest.
What is hustle culture?
Constantly hearing terms like “Rise and grind,”or “no days off?” — hustle culture is the mindset that to succeed, you must prioritize work, no matter the cost. It promotes the idea that productivity is more important than anything else, and that people should sacrifice rest, leisure—and sometimes even their health—for their jobs.
This culture can be found in many workplaces, and is often reinforced by management practices and corporate policies. Employees may feel pressured to stay late, come in early, work on weekends, or answer calls and emails after hours to meet demanding deadlines. This can create a cycle where overworking is not just encouraged, but expected.
Social media often glorifies this lifestyle, as “successful” people love to take to Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn to share their grueling schedules and achievements. This can create unrealistic expectations and pressure.
If you come across these posts (or the people who make them), you might find yourself constantly worrying about work, feeling guilty for taking breaks, or struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This constant pressure can make you feel overwhelmed and exhausted, leading to burnout and other mental health issues.
Signs of hustle culture in your workplace
Does your workplace have a toxic hustle culture? Look out for signs to help you understand the impact it may be having on you and your colleagues. They might include:
Long hours and little rest
Blurred lines between work and personal life
High levels of stress and anxiety
Pressure to always be available
Rewards for overwork and competitiveness
Lack of work-life balance
Limited acknowledgment of rest and recovery
Constant focus on productivity
8 negative impacts of hustle culture on mental health
Hustle culture can significantly harm your mental health. By being aware of these consequences, you can take steps to protect your mental and physical health, and find a more balanced approach to work and life.
1. Burnout
Prolonged periods of stress and constantly working without enough rest can lead to severe exhaustion, known as burnout. This physical, emotional, and mental fatigue can make you feel drained, unmotivated, and unable to do even basic tasks. Think you might be dealing with burnout? Here are 22 signs that you could be facing it.
2. Anxiety
Tension can arise when you're constantly worried about meeting deadlines, outperforming your peers, or staying ahead. Always feeling anxious can affect your ability to concentrate, make decisions, and enjoy your life.
3. Depression
Feeling like you’re not living up to your potential can lower your self-esteem. You may begin to feel hopeless, sad, and lose interest in activities you once enjoyed. If you’re dealing with symptoms of depression, here are 12 tips to help you cope.
4. Sleep problems
Constantly thinking about work or staying up late to finish tasks can disrupt your sleep patterns. Lack of sleep can lead to problems such as difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and weakened immunity. Chronic sleep deprivation has also been linked to severe health issues like heart disease and diabetes. Hoping to get better rest? Explore these six tips to improve your sleep.
5. Physical health issues
Stress from overworking can cause headaches, digestive issues, muscle pain, and more serious conditions like heart disease. Over time, the strain on your body can contribute to long-term health problems, including high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attacks or strokes.
6. Decreased productivity
When you're constantly pushing yourself without adequate rest, your efficiency and output can suffer. You might find yourself making more mistakes, struggling to stay focused, or taking longer to complete tasks due to fatigue and stress.
7. Strained relationships
If you're always working, you’ll have less time to spend with family and friends. This can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness, and it can also strain your relationships if your loved ones feel ignored.
8. Reduced creativity and problem-solving abilities
A nonstop work schedule leaves little room for creative thinking and effective problem-solving. When your brain’s constantly in overdrive, it's harder to come up with innovative ideas or think critically about complex issues.
How to deal with hustle culture at work: 8 tips to help you get out of the grind
Taking care of your mental and physical health is essential for long-term success and happiness. Start to combat the negative effects of hustle culture by choosing one (or more!) of these strategies to help you create a better work-life balance.
1. Set clear boundaries to protect your peace
Define your work hours and stick to them, telling your colleagues and managers when you’re available and when you’re not. Take your full lunch break and avoid checking work emails or messages outside of your designated work hours. (Although easier said than done, it’s helpful to turn off work notifications after hours to help you disconnect!) This separation can help you fully relax, so you can be more productive when you’re at work.
💙 Practice upholding your Work Boundaries with this session of The Daily Move.
2. Take regular breaks to help you decompress
It can be tempting to work through lunch or skip breaks to get more done, but actually, this can lead to decreased productivity and increased fatigue. Schedule short breaks throughout your day to rest and recharge. Need an extra push to do this? Mark the time off in your calendar and treat it as you would any other commitment.
During these breaks, step away from your desk and walk, stretch, or give your mind a chance to rest. Even a five-minute break can make a difference in your energy levels and focus.
💙 Just five minutes of Walking Meditation can help you improve focus, or just allow you to carve out some time for self-care.
3. Prioritize the most important tasks to not overwhelm yourself
Make a to-do list each day and finish your tasks in order, based on their importance. Stay in contact with your manager to ensure you know what your priorities are, and to avoid feeling overwhelmed, try to say no to less critical work.
💙 Multitasking often leads to nothing but overwhelm. Learn how to Settle Down by Single-Tasking with help from Jay Shetty.
4. Seek support if you’re having difficulty managing your workload
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, talk to your manager or human resources about what’s going on. They might offer solutions or resources to help you cope, like redistributing tasks, adjusting deadlines, or providing additional support. Many workplaces also offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) that provide resources for managing stress, mental health, and work-life balance.
5. Practice self-care to manage stress
Make time for activities that help you relax and unwind, such as reading, exercising, or spending time with your friends. Also, be sure to take care of yourself so that physically, you’re feeling your best. Get enough sleep each night, eat a balanced diet, and stay hydrated. Practice mindfulness or meditation to help reduce stress and improve your overall wellbeing.
💙 Self-care is not selfish. (Read that again.) Now discover how to create a nourishing practice of Radical Self-Care.
6. Set realistic goals and celebrate milestones
Set achievable goals for yourself and avoid overcommitting. Break larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks, and celebrate your progress. This might mean taking yourself out for coffee after a particularly long meeting or treating yourself to a cookie once you finish a taxing assignment. These little mood boosts can help you stay motivated and prevent feelings of overwhelm.
💙 Struggling to recognize your progress? Let Mel Mah’s Let’s Celebrate session boost you up!
7. Disconnect digitally to let your mind relax and avoid triggering content
Take time away from devices and social media, which can perpetuate hustle culture. Allocate specific times to check emails and messages, rather than being constantly available online, and be mindful of how much time you spend on social media. Seeing highlight reels of others’ lives isn’t always healthy, especially if you’re feeling vulnerable.
💙 If you find it difficult to take a break from your devices, our Social Media & Screen Addiction series provides manageable tips on how to manage.
8. Encourage a healthy workplace culture
Do your part to improve your workplace culture by encouraging your colleagues to take breaks and maintain work-life balance. Encourage open discussions about workload and stress management within your team to create a more positive, balanced work environment. Even making it a habit to ask your colleagues how they’re doing–and really listening to their responses—can have a positive impact.
💙 Start a conversation about how you’re feeling by practicing Kind Communication with your coworkers.
Hustle culture FAQs
What are the long-term consequences of living in hustle culture?
Living in hustle culture can have severe long-term consequences on your mental and physical health.
Prolonged exposure to high-stress environments can lead to chronic stress, which in turn may cause anxiety and depression. Mental health issues like these can lead to decreased productivity, a lack of motivation, and difficulty enjoying life.
Overwork can also bring a physical toll, including serious health problems like high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and weakened immune function.
Over time, the lack of rest and recovery can lead to burnout — a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that makes it difficult to function normally at work or at home.
The constant focus on work can also strain relationships with family and friends, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness.
How can employers help reduce hustle culture in the workplace?
Leadership can create opportunities for employees to discuss their stress levels and provide mental health resources, such as employee assistance programs or access to counseling services. In addition, recognizing and rewarding quality work over sheer quantity can help shift the workplace focus from constant productivity to meaningful contributions.
In addition, people managers can improve the culture of their teams by encouraging employees to take regular breaks and vacation time. Better yet, they’ll model this behavior themselves.
What are some signs that hustle culture is affecting your physical health?
Chronic fatigue, frequent headaches, digestive issues, insomnia or other sleep disturbances are just a few of the physical consequences of hustle culture.
Over time, these issues can escalate to more severe health problems, such as high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease. If you notice persistent physical symptoms that coincide with high-stress periods at work, it may be a sign that hustle culture is negatively affecting your health.
What are some examples of hustle culture in the workplace?
Practices and behaviors that prioritize work over all else are the purest examples of hustle culture. Here’s what it might look like in your workplace.
The expectation for employees to work long hours regularly, often extending into evenings and weekends
Lack of encouragement for taking breaks or using vacation days
Constant pressure to be available, even outside of regular working hours, through emails, messages, or calls
Celebrating and rewarding overworking, such as praising employees who stay late or come in early
A competitive atmosphere where employees feel the need to outdo each other in productivity and dedication
Unrealistic deadlines and high performance expectations without adequate support or resources
How can you support a friend or family member who is struggling with hustle culture?
Supporting a friend or family member struggling with hustle culture involves offering empathy, understanding, and practical help.
Listen to their concerns without judgment, allowing them to express their feelings and frustrations. Encourage them to take breaks and prioritize self-care, reminding them that rest is essential for overall wellbeing. Here are 20+ self-care activities you could invite a friend or family member to join you in!
Suggest they speak to their employer about their stress and workload, and offer to help them prepare for this conversation if needed. If they’re open to it, recommend professional support, such as talking to a counselor or therapist.
Help your loved one find ways to disconnect from work, perhaps by doing things together like hobbies, spending time outdoors, or other activities they love. When you’re not together, check in regularly and be there to offer encouragement as they work toward a healthier balance between work and personal life. Also, encourage them to spend less time on social media, as those platforms can exacerbate feelings of stress and anxiety.
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