If you have been on social media for sometime, you might have heard about this term quite a few places. My interpretation of the word is similar to the googled definition attached above, "similar to commotion and tumult".

I really feel this hustle culture is toxic and definitely not for me for a sole reason that the moment I consciously push myself to be productive, I no longer am. There is no pleasure in working around the clock all seven days in a week, both for your physical and mental health.

I observed that many people crazy over hustling day in and out:

1. Pretend to over-obsess their work and persuade others to do so
2. Aim to retire early at the cost of health
3. Are constantly comparing and placing themselves in a never-ending competition
4. Fighting battles within themselves to be productive

This has seen to drastically increase ever since the pandemic where our personal and work life have blurred boundaries. Why I think it isn't the effective:

1. Leads to burnout
2. Productivity doesn't remain constant on all days
3. It does not lead to smart work

Hence, the bottom line for me is stop working when the mind is not allowing you to. Take breaks, refresh and relax and only then jump on to the other side. One can't expect themselves to deliver maximum productivity on all dates and it's okay for it to fluctuate. Instead aim for smart work because number of working hours is not proportional to the amount of work done.