Our Enemy is Not the Side-Hustle, But the Hustle Culture

Have you ever felt constantly haunted by work, or forever jumpy whenever a notification from a work group chat pops up, especially when you’re tagged in a conversation? Perhaps you haven’t even had a moment to catch your breath before having to rush off to the next meeting after a long day of classes or your primary job. And then, when you finally can relax, does it feel… wrong? As individuals living in this modern era, these scenarios are all too familiar.

This feeling of being ‘haunted’ by work and the ‘guilt of relaxation’ is the very core of Hustle Culture. It’s a narrative that promises the idea that the more we work, the more ‘rewards’ or ‘wealth’ we will ultimately reap. It’s a pervasive belief that sleep is for the weak, and rest is an unnecessary luxury. This mindset undeniably drives many people to sacrifice their rest and mental health for the sake of perceived productivity. The inevitable result of this continuous grind is often severe burnout.

Understanding the Burnout Trap

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), burnout is a syndrome “conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” This syndrome is characterized by three distinct dimensions:

1. Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion.
2. Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job.
3. Reduced professional efficacy or a diminished sense of competence.

This clinical definition is crucial, but what if Hustle Culture also entraps us philosophically?

In the past, I experienced an endless cycle of busyness that perfectly illustrates this point. The opening anecdotes of constant vigilance and exhaustion were drawn from my own personal life. As a university student, I attended classes from morning until afternoon, immediately followed by a part-time job to support myself. After work, I often had to rush back to campus for organizational meetings, not to mention the countless academic and organizational tasks that demanded completion. This relentless pace led to severe exhaustion. I found myself procrastinating on everything that needed to be done, feeling a constant mental block. This pervasive feeling of intense “laziness” and “excessive fatigue” was the true face of burnout. Centuries ago, a Chinese philosopher referred to this exact situation as “Heart Exhaustion“—a weariness that goes deeper than just the body.

The Side-Hustle vs. The Hustle Culture Mindset

My story brings us to the core question: Which is worse, the “Side-Hustle” or the “Hustle Culture”? I would quickly and decisively answer: Hustle Culture.

The cultural narrative of constant hustling only drives us further into madness rather than peace. Consider this analogy: the Side-Hustle is simply being given a second car (a second source of income or activity). The Hustle Culture, however, is the deeply ingrained belief that you must drive 24/7 at full speed, regardless of how many cars you own.

The problem is not how many cars we own; the problem lies in the mindset that continuously compels us to “crawl in the mud” without ever stopping for rest. If you adopt the Hustle Culture mindset, burnout is an absolute certainty—it is only a matter of when. This toxic culture can make you feel guilty when you rest, anxious when you take a vacation, and perpetually preoccupied with work even when you are off the clock.

Burnout, in this negative connotation, is a situation where we lose our true self. Our genuine self—the creative individual who requires rest and has hobbies—is replaced by a constant, anxiety-fueled need to keep crawling.

The Philosophical Solution: Liberate Your Ego

The solution requires us to liberate ourselves from the ego’s desperate thirst for external validation. By doing this, we can finally break free from anxiety-driven questions like, “Was I productive enough today?” We must learn to work out of self-will and genuine passion, not fear or compulsion. Most importantly, we must reclaim our ability to rest without guilt.

If the Hustle Culture is a sickness, simple sleep alone is not enough to restore the body and mind. Rest is an absolute biological necessity. However, if you are physically lounging on the sofa but your mind is still racing with professional anxieties and to-do lists, that is not rest. The internal challenge caused by ambition and anxiety prevents true recuperation. True rest is when your heart and mind have ample space, untouched and uninfluenced by the world’s demands.

How to Step Out of the Vicious Cycle

If you find yourself caught in this vicious cycle, relax. You don’t need to take extreme measures like immediately resigning or symbolically ‘burning your second car.’ The change begins with adjusting your way of thinking.

1. Re-evaluate Your Motivation

Start by asking yourself a fundamental question: “Am I working hard because of genuine passion, or out of a fear of being perceived as unproductive or lazy?” Working from passion is sustainable; working from fear is the fast track to exhaustion.

2. Redefine Rest

Next, redefine what rest means to you. Rest is not laziness. Rest is a biological necessity, just like eating. It is the mandatory process by which your organs and mind recover from the chronic exhaustion they experience. Do not confuse downtime with deficiency.

3. Separate “Busy” from “Valuable”

Finally, you must firmly separate your sense of “busy” from your sense of “worth.” Your value as a human being is not determined by how full your calendar is, how busy you are, or how difficult you are to reach. You are inherently valuable, regardless of your current professional output.

The truth is, our enemy is not the act of hustling or the choice of having a side-hustle. Our enemy is the Hustle Culture—the toxic mindset that makes us feel worthless when we are not actively being productive. Stop being the ant desperately crawling in the mud. Remember to pause, take a deep breath, and remember what it feels like to stand tall.