What hustle culture is
Hustle culture is a work mindset according to which constant effort and extreme productivity are essential not only for professional success, but also for defining personal worth. This approach has spread especially with the growth of tech startups, digital jobs, and social networks, where displaying commitment and results has become a marker of identity and “merit.”
The message of hustle culture is that working hard and for long hours is the only way to achieve success and fulfillment in life.
The myth doesn’t hold up: what the data say
According to an article by BBC Worklife, so-called hustle culture promotes the belief that personal value is proportional to the number of hours worked. However, numerous studies show that beyond a certain threshold, productivity declines while stress and mental fatigue increase.
An analysis published by Performant highlights how continuous overwork reduces concentration and creativity, creating a paradox: those who work more risk achieving fewer results.
When working more becomes counterproductive
The idea that more work automatically leads to greater success ignores the real costs to well-being and health. Burnout—recognized by the World Health Organization as a syndrome linked to chronic workplace stress—is increasingly widespread in high-pressure professions. Hustle culture tends to normalize constant availability, the sacrifice of personal time, and the evaluation of one’s worth based solely on productivity.
Sustainable alternatives: quality, balance, and breaks
In recent years, approaches focused on sustainable work and well-being have gained ground.
Examples include work–life balance, which encourages setting clear boundaries between work and personal life while respecting breaks and free time, and break culture, which promotes regular pauses to improve concentration and creativity without reducing commitment (Forbes).
Another alternative is Ikigai, a concept from Eastern culture that encourages people to find their reason for being, helping them strike a balance between what they love to do, what they are good at, what the world needs, and what they can be paid for.
These models do not deny the importance of effort, but shift the focus from the number of hours worked to the quality of work, making it possible to reconcile productivity, well-being, and personal life.
Why this matters for young people
Those entering the workforce or balancing education and career may feel pressured to adopt an “always-on” mindset. However, viewing endless effort as the sole measure of value can generate stress, make it harder to build relationships, and hinder long-term financial planning. It can discourage youngsters from exploring the job market, convincing them that sacrificing a significant part of their life is necessary to succeed.
Hustle culture claims that working more and more leads to freedom and success, despite scientific evidence and real-world data showing that this model can cause stress, burnout, and reduced productivity. Work needs to be rethought not as an accumulation of hours or a life purpose in itself, but as part of a balanced daily project, where commitment, breaks, and well-being are tools for building a sustainable career and a more satisfying life.
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February 4, 2026