Give Yourself a Break
Assessing your priorities can make the grind more manageable—and productive
By Marley Richmond
Whether we call it senioritis (which inevitably starts three weeks into freshman year), burnout, or just exhaustion, there is no doubt that today’s society is overworked. The ever-increasing demands of capitalism, along with increasingly selective requirements to succeed, have created a culture where working hard isn’t enough. “The grind” of twelve (plus) hour workdays, little sleep, and prioritizing work or classes above all else has become the norm. Free time and recreation are seen as a sign that you aren’t doing enough—that time could be used to get ahead (or catch up), after all, and that point of satisfaction or rest is always out of reach. Hard work is important, and pushing yourself to learn and grow is absolutely a good thing. But at some point, the costs outweigh the benefits of all that exhaustion.
The hustle is often seen as an admirable lifestyle, a challenge to be proud of rather than a concern. An addicting feedback loop is formed—put in a lot of work on a project, receive praise, feel proud, repeat. The hours you study become a badge of honor; you find yourself in a contest of who slept the least last night, with the depth of your under-eye bags indicating your success. Overworking yourself becomes the only way to find validation and self-worth. The issue is, you eventually run into the point of diminishing returns; If it’s been a long time since you took an economics class, that’s when the benefits gained are less than the energy invested.
A study from University of St. Thomas professors Monica E. Hartmann and J. Roxanne Prichard determined that students who regularly pulled all-nighters to study actually ended up with lower GPAs than their peers. The study claims, “On average, each additional day per week that a student experienced sleep problems ... lowered the cumulative GPA by 0.02,” even when the all-nighters weren’t a result of procrastination but just an attempt to get more done. Running at max capacity every day simply isn’t sustainable, especially when sleep is sacrificed in the process.
For years, doctors have raised concerns over the long-term effects of increased stress. Among other serious health problems, the National Institute of Mental Health warns of high blood pressure, heart disease, anxiety, and depression specifically. As if that knowledge lowers anyone’s stress levels! Still, it is valuable to keep in mind that stress can be physically and mentally harmful.
Of course, some people have maintained the grind for years and function well under demanding conditions. For some, working two or three jobs while being a full-time student is a necessity, not a choice. Balancing motherhood and classes is a reality for some students, and others may have to finish college in under four years to afford their education. Making time for hobbies, exercise, or other breaks can feel–and be–unrealistic.
It might feel impossible to break the cycle and reduce your workload. Resisting hustle culture doesn’t have to mean an increase in free time and a decrease in responsibilities. At its most basic, supporting yourself may be practicing self-compassion and shifting the tone of your internal dialogue from “you aren’t doing enough” to “you’re doing your best and that is worthy of pride.” Your life’s value does not reside solely in your output or achievements, but in your relationships, passions, and joy as well.
Giving up the hustle isn’t an option for most people, but examining your priorities can help you find balance, making your relationship with work more beneficial and, almost always, more productive. After all, it turns out that pulling an all-nighter to study won’t necessarily guarantee a better score on the test, but it does mean your work the next day will be harder due to sleep deprivation.
It can help to consider your “why.” What makes all this work worthwhile? What are you working towards? Ground the hustle in your own goals, and allow yourself to say “no” to extra work and responsibilities that don’t line up. Take time to rest when you can, and be kind to yourself when you can’t finish your never-ending to-do list. After all, you are only one person. As much as you may want to, or feel like you must, it’s impossible to do everything.