In today’s world, one of the hardest things to do is simply exist. Instead of enjoying our hobbies or joining clubs for fun, there is always one question lingering in the back of our minds: How will this look on my LinkedIn profile?
Hustle culture promotes the belief that there is always a higher achievement to strive for, whether it be higher income or a more prestigious job title. This grind mentality started when tech companies developed in Silicon Valley during the 1990s and early 2000s, creating a culture where long and intense hours of work were celebrated.
The rise of tech startups like Apple, Facebook and Google began to dominate the industry. These companies usually fostered a workplace that blurred the line between work and personal life. Their offices provided gyms, meals and recreational activities that seemed to promote a healthier work-life balance. In reality, they only incentivized employees to work longer.
As these companies became the face of innovation and success, the obsession over productivity and entrepreneurship has redefined how we spend our free time. Activities that were once seen as leisurely are now viewed through the lens of profitability.
This mindset has empowered many to put their skills toward viable economic opportunities, especially for marginalized communities that have been historically excluded from traditional job markets. For example, Black and Latino creators have used platforms like TikTok and Etsy to build independent businesses amid systemic barriers in employment.
However, this mindset also leads people to constantly look for ways to turn leisure into income, blurring the line between work and rest. This is especially prominent in a post-Covid era where remote work and digital accessibility have made it harder to distinguish between the two.
Our various electronic gadgets, once used for leisure and personal connection, are now also used as hubs of productivity through platforms like Slack and Zoom. Even social media used to serve as an escape from work life, but is now saturated with content about personal branding and ways to climb the corporate ladder.
LinkedIn, a social networking platform, has amassed over 1 billion users worldwide. Although LinkedIn has proven to be a powerful tool for networking, job searching and showcasing professional achievements, it has also contributed to the pressures that comes with hustle culture.
While initially used as a platform for connecting recruiters and colleagues, LinkedIn has evolved into a competitive arena of self-branding. The platform rewards users with online engagement when they frequently post career milestones and achievements, fueling an addiction among many young professionals who constantly compare themselves to others.
Similarly with starting organizations or joining clubs, many students force themselves to overload their commitments — signing up for countless activities without genuine interest just to boost their résumés or get into a top university. This often results in burnout and fosters a negative environment where genuine curiosity is overshadowed by performative ambition.
Instead of forming meaningful relationships or pursuing personal growth, students will constantly compete to appear impressive, productive and LinkedIn-worthy. This results in burnout, disillusionment and a loss of connection to their authentic selves. Hustle culture has only become more prominent through social media.
Studies have shown that productive anxiety is more prominent among Gen Z, with 58% experiencing it numerous times in a week. Even moments of rest become uncomfortable, with many younger individuals believing that time spent not working toward a tangible goal is merely time wasted. This leaves young people feeling anxious when they are not constantly chasing achievements or checking off tasks.
Constant social comparison can also create a distorted self-image and sense of worth, pressuring many users to curate the perfect narrative of success through exaggerated roles to keep up with their peers. LinkedIn, like most other social media platforms, is a highlight reel that masks struggles and failures. This makes users feel isolated, despite its stated intention to connect individuals to job opportunities.
Hustle culture and constant comparison pushes the notion that our self-worth is solely tied to productivity and rest is seen as worthless. While ambition and drive can be powerful sources of motivation, they become damaging when fueled by a fear of failing instead of genuine passion. We need to reclaim balance by reframing the definition of success from job titles and work hours to personal fulfillment and well-being.
Deanza Andriansyah is an Opinion Staff Writer. She can be reached at dandrian@uci.edu.
Edited by Isabella Ehring and Annabelle Aguirre.