Burnout 101: The unseen costs of hustle culture

In a world where rest feels like laziness and hustle culture is glorified, mental health is at an all-time low

By: Nada Bouchalkha, Opinion Contributor

When was the last time you felt that wave of unforgiving guilt for taking a lazy day? Maybe it crept in after skipping your workout or missing a lecture you knew wasn’t going to hold your attention.  

That relentless voice urging you to do more, achieve more and be more - we all know it too well. But here’s the truth: that internalized voice has a name - hustle culture. Recognizing it is the first step toward taking back control.  

Everyone’s relationship with hustle culture is different. But if any of this sounds familiar, it might be time to let go of its hold.

The mantra that "the grind never stops" becomes so deeply embedded in our thinking that we begin punishing ourselves, by depriving ourselves of sleep or denying ourselves leisure activities and forcing us to cancel plans or abandon hobbies. This misplaced sense of guilt often leads to deteriorating mental health, burnout, exhaustion and even physical illness brought on by stress.  

At university, an environment where success is measured primarily by your GPA and busyness, it’s easy to feel like taking time for yourself is a sign of weakness. Social media reinforces this pressure, saturating us with carefully curated videos of high achievers that highlight only their best days. The constant need to keep up, coupled with the fear of falling behind, can feel exhausting. But life isn’t a race and sometimes slowing down is more beneficial than you think. 

This toxic cycle traps us in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction. It becomes near impossible to appreciate the little things in life when you’re constantly operating in survival mode. True satisfaction cannot be achieved when success is endlessly redefined around productivity because it leaves no room for self-acceptance. 

Whether this resonates with you as a student taking on too many courses or as someone juggling multiple jobs at once, the question remains: if being productive comes at the expense of your mental health, is it really worth it?  

Allowing yourself to rest is the first step towards balance and learning what healthy productivity looks like. 

Healthy productivity is about achieving a balance between work and well-being. As a student, this means setting realistic goals and allowing yourself to slow down. After all, every step forward, no matter how little, will contribute to your growth.

It is important to grant yourself compassion for the days that you don’t meet the high standards you set. By nurturing both your personal and professional development, you can not only achieve success but also grow as an individual.  

It’s essential to discover your sense of purpose beyond merely material achievements and productivity-driven goals. There is a unique tranquility in allowing yourself to embrace the little things like napping, spending time with friends, going on a walk, or even doing nothing at all.

It has be said that the most successful animals are those that are the laziest. Even in nature, survival often depends on conserving energy rather than constantly expending it. Similarly, the constant chase of productivity without rest can leave us burnt out, detached from our goals, disconnected and unfulfilled.  

You should feel a sense of pride not only during your "hustle" but also in your moments doing nothing at all. Though doing nothing may seem easy, social pressures can make it feel surprisingly difficult, especially for students who are endlessly pressured to prioritize grades and build a “perfect” resume.

Embracing downtime and investing in leisure activities that restore us are not signs of laziness or weakness. Rather, they sustain our mental health and make us more productive in the long run.  

So, this isn’t to say you should drop everything and become a surfer, unless of course that is your true calling. But if being "lazy" means taking care of yourself, then by all means do so.