Recently, “hustle culture” defines work life for most Millennials and Gen Zers. Known for long hours, side gigs and a relentless need to create, hustle culture glorifies overworking and also defines success as continuous busyness. Such a widespread mindset begs the question: Are Millennials & Gen Z addicted to overworking?
Hustle culture-driven by social networking, entrepreneurial success stories and a changing job market – encourages people to think that hard work and sacrifice are essential to financial success and self fulfilment. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn abound with motivational posts, “grind” and “hustle” stories and influencers flaunting their productive lifestyles. Terms like rise & grind or team no sleep are trendy, and productivity appears to take priority over other things.
For Millennials, hustle culture is tied to their economic upbringing. Having grown up during or after the 2008 financial crisis, many Millennials discovered a job market dominated by high competition, stagnant incomes and increasing living expenses. In such a environment, some have worked harder and took on additional roles just making ends meet or even get ahead. Side hustles – operating for Uber, freelancing or even operating an internet business – have become normalized for a generation attempting to create wealth in a world in which conventional career paths are not guaranteed.
Growing up entirely electronically, Gen Z is influenced even more by the internet’s entrepreneurial culture. Most Gen Zers idolize influencers, YouTubers and entrepreneurs who made their fortune via their digital hustles. The concept that effort pays off is continuously reinforced via social media, making overworking seem like a necessity for success. Gen Z has also joined the workforce in an additional period of economic uncertainty – led by the COVID-19 pandemic – where the pressure is on to work harder and look for alternative income streams.
But hustle culture glorifies overworking – and has questioned its long-lasting consequences on psychological health and health. Burnout, anxiety and depression are commonplace, particularly for young workers that are under pressure both from life and work. A 2021 Deloitte analysis found roughly 40% of Millennials and Gen Zers stated they felt stressed the majority of days or most of the time, citing financial difficulties and work instability as primary factors.
The continuous hustle may also skew self-worth. In a culture where productivity is valued above everything else, people might associate their value with just how much work or accomplish. Fear of falling behind or not measuring up to others could result in persistent overworking and mental and physical fatigue. Social media compounds this by showing curated versions of success – in which influencers and followers highlight the highlights of the hustle while disregarding the struggles, problems and burnout in the background.
Additionally, hustle culture feeds systemic inequalities. Not everybody can afford to work countless hours on side projects or start ups. Numerous Millennials and Gen Zers (particularly those coming from marginalized communities) work multiple jobs ‘out of necessity instead of choice. The hustle can conceal structural problems like soaring living expenses, wage stagnation and lack of ability to access affordable training which are causing young people to work simply to survive.
And despite these pressures, there is been a pushback against hustle culture. Millennials and Generation Z are both starting to doubt the mantra that overworking is the only way to success. Moves for work-life balance, mental health awareness and anti hustle mindsets are gaining ground. Some young people are choosing wellbeing over productivity and are searching for work with flexibility, remote work or more balanced career growth. Particularly the COVID 19 pandemic has made many reconsider their relationship with work and also the sacrifices they are ready to make for it.
Companies also are beginning to notice burnout and mental illness more prominently at work. A few progressive organizations are implementing a far more flexible strategy – providing mental health services, shorter workweeks – or even requiring employees to set boundaries between personal life and work. These changes reflect a realization that productivity shouldn’t be a price tag for well-being.
Although Millennials and Gen Z are raised in a hustle era and frequently feel under pressure to overwork, additionally, they understand the hazards. The cult of continual productivity, particularly in the electronic age, has grown mental health problems and burnout worldwide. However , as the stigma surrounding mental health and work life balance increases, young people are deciding to redefine success in much more holistic terms – along with the grind. Whether this concludes hustle culture or is an evolution remains to be seen, though the discussion about how we work is changing.