Running on Fumes: Rethinking Hustle Culture and Burnout
In America, overwork is often worn like a badge of honor. We equate busyness with success and exhaustion with dedication. “Do more, be more, achieve more” has become the mantra of hustle culture. But that constant striving often leaves us burned out, anxious, and depleted.
For years, I bought into that message. If I could just manage my time better, push a little harder, and keep all the plates spinning, I’d be okay. From the outside, being very high functioning, it looked like I was thriving. In reality, I was stretched thin, literally and figuratively.
I did this with music, not just jobs. Back in school, I would practice eight hours a day on top of rehearsals and classes, thinking if I just kept going, I would get better. People praised my diligence, my work ethic, my ability to keep so many things going at once, but inside I knew I was running on empty, moments away from breaking down. And all that pushing eventually broke my body in ways I still have not yet healed.
The Trap of “Doing It All”
At one point, I was balancing three jobs, volunteer work, and social commitments, all while maintaining my recovery. On paper, it was impressive. I was just so happy I was finally healthy enough to do things, I wanted to do it all. In practice, my energy was fractured. Friends noticed it before I did. They told me my schedule was unsustainable. That burnout is real. That’s the trap of hustle culture: more hours don’t equal more success. They often equal diminished creativity, poorer performance, and less joy. I learned that being “busy” wasn’t the same thing as being fulfilled.
Signs That Something Has to Change
Burnout rarely happens overnight, it creeps in. Looking back, I can see the red flags:
Constant fatigue, even after sleep, and taking over an hour to get out of bed in the morning.
Anxiety that didn’t fade, no matter how much I got done. In fact I experienced such high spikes of anxiety I felt nauseous a lot of the time.
Feeling guilty for resting or taking time off. I didn’t know how to “fill” down time, if I had any at all.
Losing joy in activities that once mattered.
These weren’t “just stress.” They were signals I needed to pause. I realized that if I didn’t make changes, I’d keep missing out on the very life I worked so hard to build.
What I Learned by Stepping Back
Eventually, I had to make hard choices. I stepped away from commitments that drained me, even ones that I thought I needed. I left my full-time job and even declined a part-time role when I realized it would only put me back on the same path, and resigned from an executive board seat with a local eating disorder nonprofit. At first, it was scary, but it was also an act of self-preservation.
Now, I’m learning that rest isn’t indulgent, it’s essential. Evenings spent reading, walking outside, or simply relaxing curled up with my cats are just as important as my coaching sessions and networking. Crocheting again, after years of thinking I couldn’t with two playful cats, has been an enjoyable way to reclaim stillness. The uncertainty of finances and change can still be stressful, but I remind myself: thriving doesn’t come from doing it all. It comes from aligning energy with what truly matters.
Takeaways for Anyone Caught in Hustle Culture
If hustle culture has you stuck in overdrive, here are a few truths worth remembering:
Redefine success. It’s not about how many hours you log, but how aligned your work is with your values.
Learn to say no. Every “yes” to another obligation is a “no” to rest or relationships.
Protect your downtime. Rest fuels sustainable growth.
Watch for early signs. Constant fatigue and loss of joy are warnings, not weaknesses.
Lean on support. You don’t have to do it all alone.
Coming Full Circle
The irony of hustle culture is that while it promises fulfillment through constant striving, it often robs us of the very things that make life meaningful. Just like in music, where endless hours of practice left me depleted and broken instead of stronger, filling our lives to the brim doesn’t make us better, it makes us brittle.
True growth happens when we balance effort with rest. When we pause, protect our peace, and measure success not by how much we do, but by how whole we feel.
Because the truth is, you don’t have to do it all. You just have to do what keeps you whole.