Diet culture
https://www.verywellfit.com/what-is-diet-culture-5194402
Diet culture is the pervasive belief that appearance and body shape are more important than physical, psychological, and general well-being. It's the idea that controlling your body, particularly your diet—by limiting what and how much you eat—is normal.
Diet culture also normalizes labeling foods as good or bad and thinking of food as transactional—something that you either earn or don't deserve depending on how you've eaten and worked out. Not only is food labeled, but people may label themselves as good or bad for consuming these foods.
People who have been conditioned to accept diet culture as a normal way of life may have a poor self-image, regularly participate in negative self-talk, and believe that being thin makes a person better than someone who is not. They may also have an all-or-nothing mentality.
Disordered Eating: What It Is and How it Differs From Eating Disorders
Diet Culture and Disordered Eating
Diet culture is one factor that contributes to disordered eating habits. This generally occurs from a lack of focus on nutrition while prioritizing low-calorie foods. It can also affect how someone views exercise since activity can be viewed as a way to work off so-called bad foods or used as a way to earn food.1
Food is More Than Fuel
The idea that food is only fuel and must be earned is a toxic notion that can create disordered eating and eating disorders. Food is much more than fuel. It is a social and cultural part of our lives. Solely focusing on food as fuel—or good vs. bad—isolates you from enjoying and embracing food as a deeper and more meaningful part of your life.
This effect is often seen after a major holiday when advertisements and articles push for detoxes or cleanses to “reset” or purge your body of “bad” food choices. Not only are these practices unscientific and potentially dangerous, but they also push the idea that enjoying food must come with a consequence.2
Moreover, not all physically beneficial components of food provide fuel. Food is full of nutrients, phytochemicals, water, antioxidants, and other essential factors that contribute to an overall thriving body but provide little in the way of actual fuel.
While the aspects of foods that supply us with energy—carbohydrates, fats, and proteins—are vital, they are only part of the bigger picture regarding nutrition.
Avoiding nutrient-dense foods in favor of low-calorie foods, or restricting your food intake so that you do not obtain the correct amount of nutrients for optimal functioning, causes you to miss out on important qualities food has to offer. This can be detrimental to your health or contribute to poor health.
There is no clinical definition for disordered eating, but it is most often described as a pattern of abnormal eating behaviors and thought patterns around food that do not yet fit the criteria for an eating disorder. This includes extreme dieting.
What Is Yo-Yo Dieting? How to Stop the Cycle
Diet Culture As an Unhealthy Obsession
Labeling yourself as good or bad based on the foods you eat can lead to worsening disordered eating habits and may lead to an eating disorder.
Trying to rigidly stick to consuming only food deemed as good, as virtuous as it sounds, can be considered an eating disorder called orthorexia.3
Orthorexia is considered an extreme form of clean eating—an obsessive focus on what the person believes to be the "correct" healthy diet. This obsession leads to interference with everyday life, including social, emotional, and more.4
Some characteristics of orthorexia include:3
A restrictive diet
Rituals based around eating
Avoidance of foods not considered “good” or healthy
Diet culture contributes to orthorexia because it encourages avoiding foods or restricting your diet. Examples include avoiding gluten when you do not have an intolerance or allergy, extreme versions of veganism, extreme low-fat or low-carbohydrate diets, detoxes, cleanses, and avoiding all GMOs or non-organic foods.5
Orthorexia can lead to other disorders such as anorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive disorders, including body dysmorphic disorder.6 Eating disorders, as well as disordered eating behavior, can result directly from the poor body image that occurs due to diet culture and the glorification of thinness.
Body dysmorphic disorder causes people to become fixated and obsessed with their outward appearance and what they see as flaws.7 It can be seen in people with eating disorders.
Commenting on Appearance May Perpetuate Diet Culture, Here's What to Do Instead
Diet Culture and Body Image
Diet culture belief systems view thinness as equal to health and send the message that body types outside of a narrow range are considered unhealthy. While losing weight can sometimes be a healthy choice, the methods used to obtain weight loss are not always healthy.
News stories and social media often glamorize celebrity weight loss stories without questioning whether the methods used were healthy or sustainable. This practice creates the idea that thinness and the pursuit of weight loss is the path towards acceptance, happiness, and health.
Bodies that fall outside the range of the thin, accepted norm can absolutely be healthy. Appearance does not provide a comprehensive picture of an individual's health.8 A poor diet and lack of exercise lead to increased health risks, regardless of body size.9
What Is Weight Bias?
How to Combat Diet Culture
While altogether avoiding diet culture is impossible due to its pervasive nature in all aspects of society, there are ways that you can both limit your exposure to diet culture and advocate against it.
Avoid Some Forms of Media
Avoid any type of social media, forums, online groups, or programming that makes you feel like you are not good enough the way that you are. Media usage has been shown to increase feelings of poor self-image, which is a prominent aspect of diet culture.1
Practice Body Neutrality
Body neutrality is the idea that you should focus on what your body can do right now, in the present, rather than what you want it to look like. It takes your mind off of trying to manipulate or control what you look like. Instead, it shifts your mindset to become ambivalent about the way you look and focused on respecting the things you can do now.
Practicing body neutrality can help you step away from diet culture and food labeling, instead helping you work towards honoring your body as it is now.
How Body Neutrality Can Improve Your Fitness Journey
Educate Yourself on Health
Reading and educating yourself on what overall health is might help you gain a deeper understanding of how focusing solely on thinness and food restriction can be detrimental to your health. It also helps you understand the broad range of ways to be healthy, including diverse body types and eating patterns.
A Word From Verywell
Diet culture can feel like an unavoidable pressure everyone has to experience. It's important to know that dieting is not the only way to pursue health, and being thin does not automatically mean healthy. If you struggle with disordered eating, an eating disorder, or are concerned about your health, body image, or eating habits, speak to a qualified health care provider.
Hustle Culture
Hustle Culture: The Toxic Impact on Mental Health
Clinically Reviewed by
Cynthia V. Catchings LCSW-S
Written by
Olga Molina, D.S.W., LCSW
Feb 20, 2023
Hustle Culture
Hustle culture describes a common, modern workplace environment that emphasizes hard work and long hours as the key to success. It’s become increasingly popular recently, with many companies encouraging their employees to put in extra effort and work hours for better results.
However, this culture is found to harm mental health and worsen the workplace, as opposed to making organizations more productive and positive. It also makes employees feel overwhelmed at work and might even trigger mental health conditions, such as social anxiety at work or ADHD at work. Read on to learn more about the toxicity of hustle culture.
“Hustle culture is working excessively without regard for one’s self-care needs and relationships in order to reach professional success.”
– Talkspace therapist Dr. Olga Molina, D.S.W., LCSW
What Is Hustle Culture?
Hustle culture is when a workplace environment places an intense focus on productivity, ambition, and success, with little regard for rest, self care, or any sense of work-life balance.
This lifestyle has become increasingly popular in recent years as people strive to achieve their professional goals faster and more efficiently. Despite its popularity though, the on-the-go, no holds bar mindset has been linked to mental health concerns like increased anxiety, stress, and depression. Further, we now know that there’s a long-term opposite effect, decreased productivity. This toxic hustle culture has led to employees feeling burnout.
What is toxic productivity?
Toxic productivity refers to the belief that one must constantly be productive to succeed. This can lead to burnout and physical and mental exhaustion. The idea behind toxic productivity is that you’ll get ahead quicker if you work harder than everyone else. Unfortunately, though, this isn’t always true. The toxic productivity encouraged by hustle culture can negatively affect your well-being in the long run.
Why is hustle culture glorified?
The hustle culture concept has been glamorized by entrepreneurs who are seen as “successful” because they put in long hours without taking time off for themselves or their families. These individuals are often held up as role models for aspiring business owners who may not realize how damaging it can be to prioritize work over everything else in life.
There’s a strong correlation between social media and mental health, and social media has only made the problem even worse. Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook have made it easy for influencers and celebrities to share images of themselves working late into the night, glorifying and perpetuating a dangerous mindset among younger generations who look up to them for inspiration.
Examples of hustle culture in the workplace
One example of toxic hustle culture in the workplace is employers expecting employees to stay late or come to work early. Lofty to-do lists or demands, without enough time or resources to complete tasks, are also typical. This is one of the contributing factors to the great resignation movement.
Another example is managers prioritizing quantity over quality, sacrificing a job well done for a job that’s just, well, done.
Finally, some companies may encourage unhealthy competition among colleagues by rewarding those who outperform, instead of focusing on collaboration, teamwork, support, and a general in-it-to-win-it mentality. All in all, such a culture is not good for any employee’s wellbeing.
The Negative Impact of Hustle Culture on Mental Health
Hustle culture has become a pervasive part of modern life, with people pushing themselves to the limit to succeed. This relentless pursuit of productivity and success can seriously affect mental health, though.
“Hustle culture has a negative impact on mental issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress. It can also cause burnout due to work-related stress and long working hours. Workers in a hustle culture have lost the ability for a work-life balance that’s critical for positive mental health.”
– Talkspace therapist Dr. Olga Molina, D.S.W., LCSW
Anxiety
Hustle culture encourages an all-or-nothing mentality that can lead to stress and anxiety at work when professional goals are not met, or deadlines are missed. In addition, the pressure to perform at maximum capacity every day is often too much for many people, leading them into a cycle of worry and fear about their prospects.
Guilt
People who subscribe to a toxic hustle culture might feel guilty if they take time off or relax. As noted earlier, social media can exacerbate this guilt. Posts from peers, family, and friends who seem successful and have an unrelenting work ethic can quickly translate to a belief that taking breaks is lazy or unproductive.
Apathetic attitude
When someone constantly strives for more without any respite, it can lead them down a dangerous path. Suddenly, nothing seems good enough or rewarding. This apathetic attitude towards life will only damage mental health in the long run.
Toxic positivity
Pushing yourself too hard also means there’s no room for failure. Even minor mistakes can be seen as catastrophic. Toxic positivity eliminates any realistic expectations about what is actually achievable in our life and at work.
High risk of illness and disease
Working too hard without rest leads to physical exhaustion. Being exhausted then causes psychological distress and increases the risk of illness. Lack of sleep, poor diet choices, and more cause weakened immune systems. Some research shows that long work weeks increase the risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease.
Work-life imbalance
Hustle culture creates an unhealthy balance between work and personal life. It emphasizes career success prioritized over everything else, including relationships with family, friends, and partners. Unfortunately, this leaves little room for self care activities like exercise or stress management techniques like yoga or meditation, which can be essential for maintaining mental health.
Know the signs. Take our free mental health test
How to Break Free from Hustle Culture
Breaking free from hustle culture can be daunting, but it is possible. It requires a shift in mindset and behavior and a willingness to create sustainable habits that prioritize mental health over productivity. Here are some tips on how to break free from hustle culture.
Set boundaries
Knowing how to set healthy boundaries is essential for protecting your mental health. This means setting limits on the time you spend working or engaging in work-related activities outside normal business hours. Additionally, you need to set clear expectations with colleagues and managers about when you’ll be available for work-related communication and tasks.
Take breaks
Regular breaks throughout the day help keep stress levels low and allow your mind to rest so you can remain productive without burning out. Schedule short breaks during your day where you step away from your desk, go for a walk, listen to music, or do something else that brings joy into your life.
Prioritize self care
Self care should always come before other commitments or obligations to maintain good mental health. Make sure each day includes at least one activity dedicated solely to taking care of yourself. Reading a book, journaling for mental health, running, practicing yoga/meditation, or spending time with friends are good options.
Be kind to yourself
Don’t beat yourself up if things don’t go according to plan. Instead, focus on what went well during the day and celebrate even small accomplishments, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Remember that everyone has their own unique pace when achieving goals, so don’t compare yourself with others around you — focus on doing what works best for YOU.
Escape the Toxicity of Hustle Culture with Talkspace
What is hustle culture? In short, it’s a pervasive attitude in today’s society that glorifies working hard and long hours, often at the expense of mental and physical health.
This toxic mindset has been linked to increased stress levels, burnout, and depression. To learn how to prevent burnout and break free from hustle culture and its adverse effects on mental health, Talkspace can provide support through online therapy sessions with licensed therapists.
Sources:
Rosa Rdela. Why hustle culture can do more harm than good to your mental health? Psychreg. https://www.psychreg.org/hustle-culture-harm-mental-health/. Published September 26, 2022. Accessed December 21, 2022.
Virtanen M, Kivimäki M. Long working hours and risk of cardiovascular disease. Current Cardiology Reports. 2018;20(11). doi:10.1007/s11886-018-1049-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6267375/. Accessed December 21, 2022.什麼是Hustle Culture？
Pei：Hustle Culture就是大眾主流認知下，成功人士所擁有的樣貌或特質，例如：我們從小被教育要考高分、考名校，出社會後要進到大公司工作，或擁有很多光鮮亮麗的頭銜和身份地位、權力等等。社會也會用我們的生產力、身分地位、學歷及收入，來斷定我們個人的自我價值。
The problems with hustle culture — and how it's tied to mental health
By Madeline Miles
November 7, 2022 - 18 MIN READ
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Jump to section
What is hustle culture?
Where did hustle culture come from and is it toxic?
How hustle culture shows up in the workplace
How hustle culture impacts mental health
Hustle culture and physical health
5 ways to avoid hustle culture
How to help employees recover from hustle culture burnout
Saying goodbye to hustle culture
We’ve all heard about hustle culture.
It’s a notion embedded deeply into our societal and professional norms. In fact, it’s been romanticized as something we know as the American Dream. This idea is that anyone anywhere can reach their goals if only for one thing: they hustle and work hard to achieve them.
But we also know there are some real problems with burnout and stress. Among global workers, stress levels among the world’s workers have reached an all-time high this year. So how can employees thrive when today’s hustle culture asks them to work harder, stay busy, and do more?
Burnout has serious implications for your employees’ health — and your business’s bottom line. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s an alternative to hustle culture.
Let’s dive into what hustle culture is, how it impacts the workplace, and how to avoid hustle culture for yourself and your employees.
What is hustle culture?
First, let's understand what we mean by hustle culture.
What is hustle culture?
Hustle culture, also known as burnout culture, centers around the idea that working long hours and sacrificing self-care are required in order to succeed. The promise is that if you give work all of your attention, you can achieve anything and everything.
This concept is particularly pervasive among entrepreneurs, who are constantly urged by motivational speakers to “hustle harder.” After all, who needs free time when you’re building a successful business?
Hustle culture is also common among full-time employees, especially with younger generations.
Whether they’re working part-time gigs, starting side hustles, or putting in overtime, work has become an all-consuming priority for many.
Where did hustle culture come from and is it toxic?
In recent years, celebrities, influencers, and company leaders have glamorized a version of hard work that in reality, looks a lot like workaholism.
This phenomenon has gained videos with the hashtag “#sidehustles” over 1.8 billion views on TikTok. It’s led to endless “rise and grind” social media posts and a wave of music and television celebrating the hustlers who sacrifice everything to “make it.”
Hustle culture might be going viral, but it’s nothing new. From a young age, students are expected to prioritize their grades over their social life. Then when they get jobs, leaders tend to reward employees who stay late and come in early.
All of this can be traced back to the idea of “the American dream.” From childhood, we’re told that if we work hard, we can become rich and successful.
Some people do achieve a form of happiness from their efforts. But more often, the American dream plus hustle culture creates a toxic cycle. It tells us that even as we work harder and harder, we can always have more, do more, and be more. This means that the goalposts will keep moving no matter how much we achieve.
Our modern understanding of hustle culture is also problematic because it puts impossible expectations on people of color. Historically, the concept of “rise and grind” has been a matter of survival for marginalized communities — not an opportunity to build wealth.
The reality of systemic oppression means that in many cases, people of color can’t just “work harder” in order to reach success. That’s because wide racial disparities in wealth, opportunity, and earnings continue to exist. If this is the case, we have to ask, how can persistent hustle be empowering?
The truth is that this cycle of hard work and moving goalposts leads to burnout and exhaustion. It asks us to put our well-being aside so that we can achieve a very narrow definition of success. If we want to want to be happier at work and in life, we have to leave the toxic hustle culture behind.
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How hustle culture shows up in the workplace
Your company’s work culture plays a key role in employee satisfaction, engagement, and productivity. But hustle culture can have a negative impact on all three of these factors.
So how do you know if “hustle harder” has become the norm in your workplace? Here are a few major signs:
Employees are praised or rewarded for working long hours
People send emails and Slack messages at all hours, including weekends
Performative acts of “hustle” are common, including bragging about not getting enough sleep, skipping meals to work, and other unhealthy habits
Employees take pride in not using PTO days (or employees are encouraged to not take PTO, even if unlimited PTO exists)
It seems like work is the most important thing to everyone — and having a personal life isn’t normal
When someone asks for help, they’re told to “find a creative solution,” instead of receiving additional resources and support
If any of these sound familiar, you might be dealing with a serious case of hustle culture. While it might seem like you simply have a team of hard workers, the truth is that hustle culture is not sustainable.
Why? Burnt-out employees who don’t receive support are highly likely to quit — and while they are at the company, they are far less productive than employees with a healthy work-life balance.
hustle-culture-man-working-late-on-laptop
How hustle culture impacts mental health
Hustle culture might look glamorous, but it places immense pressure on everyone involved — and recent economic changes like inflation have only magnified that pressure.
According to an April 2022 survey, over 40% of Americans report that money is having a negative impact on their mental health. Many believe that working more is the answer to that stress — in fact, today, one in three Americans report having a side hustle.
The problem? Hustle culture can end up causing you more stress than you had to begin with. Here are four ways that hustle culture impacts mental health:
1. Guilt
Take a moment to check in with yourself. Do you feel a twinge of guilt when you think of taking a day off? Is it hard to relax when you have extra free time? That’s because guilt is one of the main characteristics of hustle culture.
For example, in one survey of remote workers, remote employees were found to be exceptionally productive. Yet, 62% of the workers were afraid of being seen as lazy. They also felt guilty about working from home.
Even though they had a better work-life balance and were more productive, the pressure of hustle culture made it difficult for these employees to relax.
2. Anxiety
A recent Gallup poll showed that 44% of employees experienced anxiety, anger, and/or sadness a lot during the previous day. And it makes sense: if you go to work every day knowing that your boss expects you to “hustle harder,” that’s a clear recipe for anxiety.
Whether you’re dealing with personal problems or simply didn’t get enough sleep last night, the pressure to perform can feel overwhelming. Combine hustle culture with mental health stigma at work, and it can become difficult for employees to get the support they need.
3. Toxic positivity
Hustle culture naturally leads to toxic positivity. If you’re always working, it might feel like there’s no time for negative emotions. But whether it’s a frustrating client, burnt coffee, or traffic on the way to the office, we all need to complain sometimes.
In fact, studies show that expressing and accepting negative feelings is crucial for mental health. So if you feel the pressure to say, “it’s fine,” take a moment to get in touch with your feelings and find a way to process them — even if it’s after hours.
hustle-culture-woman-sipping-coffee-late-at-work
4. Apathy
Hustle culture comes full circle with apathy. This is because when people are encouraged to suppress their feelings, maintain long work hours, and never take time off, burnout will lead them to stop caring.
Apathy looks like an inability to focus on your work, losing interest in things you once enjoyed about your job, and an overall sense of numbness. You may also realize that you’re not sure what you were working towards all along.
Especially now, we’re seeing a rise in disengagement among employees. In a time where engaging employees is more important than ever, apathy is a sentiment to keep a close eye on.
Hustle culture and physical health
Hustle culture has serious implications for mental health, but it doesn’t stop there. Over time, too much work and intense stress can affect your body.
Here are just a few ways hustle culture can impact your physical health:
High blood pressure
Heart attack and stroke
Insomnia and fatigue
Tension headaches
Digestive problems
Chest pain
Reduced immune system function
Clearly, hustle culture can damage your health if it’s taken too far. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way — you can make a change.
5 ways to avoid hustle culture
Hustle culture is intense, but it’s popular for a reason. Most of us want to believe we have control over our own success. And overworking is a great way to feel in control — until your well-being starts to suffer.
If you’re ready to leave the hustle behind, here are 5 ways to avoid hustle culture and start reprioritizing self-care.
1. Set boundaries
Boundaries can be scary. Chances are, your boss, family, and friends won’t like it when you start saying “no” more often. However, try to remember that protecting your time will make you a better friend and employee in the long run.
You can start by getting clear on what’s draining your energy. What are you currently doing that’s not in your job description? Are you spending all your time helping your coworkers, instead of doing your own work? Are you staying late due to perfectionism, or because you actually have to?
2. Focus on your priorities
The Pareto Principle says that 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes. So ask yourself, is everything on your to-do list really necessary? Most likely, you know which tasks will have the biggest impact on your work. Focus your energy on those, and let the rest take a back seat.
3. Take intentional rest
What’s scheduled usually gets accomplished. Put time to rest on your calendar, and treat it as if it was a meeting with your boss. You wouldn’t repeatedly reschedule that, right? Remember: rest is a long-term strategy for success. Burnout won’t get you anywhere.
4. Define your own version of success
Hustle culture promotes its own version of success, and it’s usually very materialistic. While that’s fine, it’s not everyone’s dream to own a mansion or drive a sports car.
Think about what’s important to you: do you really want to work 60 hours every week? Or would you rather make memories with your friends and family?
5. Ask for help
Sometimes hustle culture can seem inescapable. If you feel stuck, it might be time to seek help from a coach or therapist. They’ll be able to help you make a plan that will put your well-being first.
You might also need to get some tasks off your plate. Can you ask your boss to add someone to the team? Is there software that can automate some of your repetitive tasks? Hustle culture overemphasizes self-reliance, but real success requires you to learn how to ask for help.
hustle-culture-no-glory-in-grind
How to help employees recover from hustle culture burnout
Focusing on well-being is a great strategy for improving work performance. That’s because when burnout is reduced and work-life balance is improved, employees come to work with more energy. As a result, they’ll be more engaged, productive, and focused.
So how can you help your employees recover from hustle culture burnout? Here are a few tips.
Encourage employees to take time off, and make a minimum number of days mandatory if possible
Ask your team what they need and be prepared to take action, whether it’s through hiring, redistributing workloads, or something else
Offer flexibility so that employees can work remotely or on an adjusted schedule
Communicate your standards clearly, so employees know that they aren’t expected to work overtime regularly
Offer wellness benefits that show the company cares about health, such as subsidized gym memberships, a membership to a meditation app, complimentary healthy meals, etc.
Create a supportive work environment that doesn’t reward people for sacrificing their health for the company
The most important thing is to set clear expectations for employees so that they know they can succeed without hustle culture. And remember: if you help them thrive, ultimately, employees will help the company thrive.
Quiet Thriving
What is ‘Quiet Thriving’ – And Why Should You Try it in the Workplace?
Krizia Ramos
You’ve probably heard of “quiet quitting,” “quiet firing” and “loud leadership” popping up in the workplace, especially when it comes to prioritizing yourself as an employee. Well, there may be a new more optimistic trend to try called “quiet thriving” that can surely give you a positive outlook.
To make it easier, we’ve broken down what “quiet thriving” actually is and ways you can try it out for yourself.
See also: Higher pay, mental wellness, remote work: Are these the top workplace trends for 2023?
What is ‘quiet thriving’?
Quiet thriving is basically the opposite of quiet quitting. Last year, quiet quitting was introduced to represent doing the bare minimum in a situation that you don’t believe is serving or rewarding you in the way you think you deserve. But, according to Glamour, while it’s tempting to mentally check out of your job, it can actually have a negative effect on your mood and leave you feeling even more unfulfilled.
Originally coined by psychotherapist Lesley Alderman for The Washington Post, quiet thriving is actively making changes to your workday in order to shift your mental state and help you feel more engaged in your job. But how, exactly, do you quiet thrive?
Quiet thriving tip #1: Take back control
As neuroscientist and success coach, Laura Ellera tells Glamour, a good place to start is to think about which parts of the job frustrate you, and which parts light you up.
“Take the parts that frustrate you, and ask yourself honestly, which parts of this do I have control over? Which parts do I have some influence over? And which parts are completely out of my control?” she says. When you look at the parts that light you up and the parts that you have control over, you can work out a plan to incorporate that more into your every day. “Once you’ve worked on these, go onto the things that you have influence over and do the same. Then consciously agree to let go of the things you have no control over,” she adds.
Related: Vision board ideas: How to create your 2023 vision board.
Quiet thriving tip #2: Learn how to soothe your nervous system
We know how it feels when stress and anxiety enter our bodies and basically takes over. Ellera explains that, to step out of this threatening feeling, we should become more aware of how our body is feeling at that very moment.
A good breathing exercise to do when we’re feeling stressed is to take three breaths in and then exhale as slowly as you can through pursed lips, imagining that you’re breathing out through a straw.
See also: 10 must-dos during an internship to make a great impression.
Quiet thriving tip #3: Connect with others who rejuvenate you
Spend time and connect with people that make you feel safe. According to Glamour, when we’re around people who feel good to be around, it can co-regulate our nervous systems (because we feel relaxed with them), which gives us more energy and motivation in our workday. These relationships are also built with growth in mind, so you may want to steer clear of those who spend time complaining about work or their boss.
Connecting with colleagues is also a good way to help thrive in your career.
You may also like: The top 10 side hustles for Gen Z in 2023.
Quiet thriving tip #4: Normalize having a break
Split your day up into chunks so you can be sure that you’re able to take a break and move around. “Studies have found that we can only really concentrate on a task for around an hour at a time before our brain starts to wander. So as you push on throughout the day, you’re actually getting less and less efficient at your work,” Ellera says. Even if it’s going for a coffee run or a quick walk, your brain resets and you actually become more productive.
Related: 20 Canadian jobs that may more than $300K.
Quiet thriving tip #5: Prioritize your health and sleep
Repeat after us: hydrate, eat, sleep, repeat. Your brain thrives more when it’s nourished, hydrated and well-rested with at least seven to nine hours of sleep. Our mental health depends on our brain, so when you’re not feeling good, appreciating the role and working towards a better career path can become more difficult.
See also: Better bites? These foods may be impacting your mental health.
Quiet thriving tip #6: Be proactive
According to the outlet, not every role has the wiggle room to dramatically change, but there are ways we can still mould the role to make it more fulfilling. It’s up to you to shape your role into something that works for both you and your employer. You can try highlighting areas of opportunity to your boss and explain why and how that can work for you.
“Becoming known as the go-to for the area you thrive in will not only make you happier in your role, but also makes you a valued member of the team and increases your potential in the company,” Ellera says.
You may also like: Half of Canadian employees plan to find a new job in 2023: study.
rage applying
WTF // JANUARY 26, 2023 ■ 6 MIN READ
WTF is rage applying and why is Gen Z doing it?
By Cloey Callahan
Before remote working became so prolific, a bad day at work could sometimes culminate in a person impulsively quitting, packing a box of their personal items and storming out of the office.
Today, with remote and hybrid working becoming the norm, there is a new term at play: “rage applying.” This refers to the method of mass applying for a range of jobs online and is often prompted by an individual feeling unhappy at work — whether it’s because they’ve been overlooked for a promotion, or just feel generally unrecognized and under appreciated.
Whether or not this latest workplace term sticks in the months to come is yet to be seen. But it’s currently on the rise among young professionals who feel strongly about not putting up with a workplace that they are unhappy with.
Similar to quiet quitting, the quick decision to apply to a number of new jobs is rubbing veteran workers the wrong way, and they are warning people to think before acting. They propose the question: Is the grass always greener?
We spoke to workplace experts to learn more about rage applying.
What exactly is rage applying?
We all have bad days at work, but sometimes it is a day that is so bad or disappointing that it feels like the best course of action is to finally look for a new job. That might mean pulling up job boards and applying, without much thought, to a number of jobs in a short period of time.
This trend has been on the rise, largely thanks to young professionals on TikTok encouraging the practice because it can lead to a huge salary boost or more learning opportunities at the next place of employment. Not just that, but with mass layoffs still in full swing, there has been a rise in anxiety-induced job applying with applicants motivated by a fear of being laid off, as opposed to dissatisfaction with their existing role or company. But, similar to rage applying, this behavior involves a scattergun —rather than carefully considered — approach to job applications.
Some experts are concerned that this kind of knee-jerk reaction, where someone is running from a job rather than running toward a particular one of choice, may result in a person holding a job that isn’t right for them long-term. “You have to be very thoughtful before you make any decision about getting a new job, especially with the economy we’re in now,” said Jack Kelly, founder and CEO of staffing and recruiting firm The Compliance Search Group. “You might fall into an offer, but you do it too quickly, and you’re just escaping from where you are, but not really thinking about where you’re going to,” he added.
Is it better to take a beat and see the larger picture?
For some, this might be the better course of action. Economic uncertainty mixed with the firehose of layoff announcements are giving rise to this wave of applying quickly to a lot of jobs. Fear about being laid off can be infectious, regardless of whether a company appears (to its employees) to be in good fiscal health or not. And with mass layoffs having dominated the news headlines for the last several months, this anxiety is starting to spill over to other workforces.
Whether there are layoffs happening at other companies or you don’t feel you have been recognized well at work, emotions can run high. Some may resort to the “flight” over “fight” mechanism and quickly find another job where they may be happier or feel more stable.
"In the absence of a narrative from the employer, people will assume the worst, when people assume the worst, they go to doom, doom leads to anxiety, leads to anxious applying."
Paul Rubenstein, chief people officer at Visier.
“You may end up regretting your decision to quit as we saw with the great resignation,” said workplace happiness expert Jenn Lim, CEO of Delivering Happiness, which offers culture and coaching services. “My advice would be that, instead of going to fight or flight, go to freeze.”
One option: talk to your manager about any latent fears regarding job security and see if they can provide any helpful assurance. “In the absence of a narrative from the employer, people will assume the worst, when people assume the worst, they go to doom, doom leads to anxiety, leads to anxious applying,” said Paul Rubenstein, Chief People Officer at people analytics company Visier.
Lack of, or miscommunication is often the root cause of problems — whether it’s in a personal relationship or in a workplace environment among colleagues, or between leadership and the workforce. Focusing on how to communicate through any concerns, just as one might attempt to in a personal relationship, is key, stressed Kelly.
Lim advised not to apply to dozens of new places without taking the time to consider what you want out of a career, what your values are and how you want your next workplace to be set up.
Can rage applying be successful?
The reality is, rage applying is not as risky or rushed as it may appear. And some experts say staying frosty in this way is actually a smart move.
While the decision to rage apply might happen over an hour or so and be sparked by a particularly bad day, it’s not usually the result of just one bad day, but an ongoing sense of unhappiness in a role. Plus, the actual decision to take another job is one that people have ample time to consider. So while it might start out as what seems like a thoughtless decision to apply, deciding to take a new job is when folks can really buckle down and ask if it’s what they want and whether it’s the right kind of organization for them.
"You're always much better off knowing where you stand in the marketplace, and how your skills measure up to what employers need and want. You are the CEO of your own career."
Liz Ryan, CEO and founder of Human Workplace.
There are a number of benefits if someone does decide to rage apply. For one, you could end up with a major salary boost and a job where you are happier. While it’s a risk to take a new job instead of staying at one you know well, it might be one that is worth it for some people. For instance, one professional wrote on LinkedIn that rage applying was the best career decision of her life.
“You don’t have to take a job just because it’s offered, but going out and interviewing keeps you sharp,” said Liz Ryan, CEO of Human Workplace, a coaching and consulting firm. “There is no benefit to putting your head in the sand.”
She said that workers are always better off knowing where you stand in the marketplace and how your skills measure up to what employers need and want.
“You are the CEO of your own career,” said Ryan. “We need to recognize that and internalize it. It’s better to have your resume ready all the time and to interview numerous times of the year.”
This practice only increases an individual’s marketability. “If you stay in your cubicle or at your home office, then unfortunately that has very little bearing on what happens next in your career,” said Ryan, who calls it “falling asleep in your career.”
The Top 10 Side Hustles for Gen Z in 2023
Does it feel like almost everyone you know has a side hustle right now? Whether you’re in the in-between stages of life — like the one after you graduate and before you learn how to fully “adult” — or are just bored and looking to pick up a hobby, a side hustle might be the way to go for you.
1 / 10
Start a podcast
What is more Gen-Z than podcasting?
You can podcast about practically anything in the world (research shows that listening to podcasts can also help satisfy our need for social connection, too, but that’s just a perk). From mental health to music to comedy to re-watching shows, if there's a will, there's a way.
Pick up a microphone and click record now and think about the rest later. Forbes offers five tips to get you started with a podcasting side hustle (and making money while doing it).
2 / 10
Go for graphic design
If you like to draw, or paint or dabble in the arts in any way, graphic design might be the side hustle for you.
From working on an iPad and freelancing your art or taking it to the next level and making a career out of it, there is no better time than now to start.
Brush up on your art skills and take a chance — graphic design is an art that you can pick up and learn on social media, which makes it a great choice for Gen Z side hustlers to try.
See also: 20 Canadian jobs that pay more than $300k.
3 / 10
Put your photography skills to use
Owning a camera and knowing how to use one are two very different things, but, if you do own one, you’re already halfway there. Whether you take a class or teach yourself through tutorials and trial and error, photography as a side hustle can be a great place to start — plus who knows, you may fall in love with it and want to take it further.
Aside from finding freelance photography gigs (for example, photographing a special event or taking headshots), there are multiple ways to make your photography into a money-making side hustle — such as selling prints of your best work.
You may also like: Pinterest Predicts that these will be the top 5 date ideas for Gen Z in 2023.
A young woman crossing the street while holding food delivery bagsPEXELS
4 / 10
Rev up a classic side hustle like driving or delivery services
If you are someone who enjoys being in your car, what better way to make money than spending your time on the roads? From Uber to SkipTheDishes, there is a world of driving and delivery services that await your ambition.
While driving and food delivery are hard work — and your financial success often depends a lot on how much people are willing to tip — there are plenty of perks to this type of side hustle. There’s lots of flexibility (you can do it when you want) and freedom to listen to what you want to while you do it (most of the time).
When it comes to this type of side hustle, it’s a good idea to start slow and work your way up.
Related: 60 amazing women-owned Canadian business to shop this season.
A woman posing in front of a smartphone while making a TikTok videoPEXELS
5 / 10
Make the most of TikTok
Ah, the obvious option that you’ve probably tried already, but got too shy or embarrassed to actually commit to sticking with: TikTok.
Don’t run yet — while the app actually provides more options than just thirst traps and dancing videos (Wealth Awesome details some of the ways that Canadians can make money on TikTok here). Getting creative with your TikTok and turning it into a viable side hustle is possible — and often fits any lifestyle.
See also: The top TikTok creators, songs, hashtags and trends of the year,
A woman working on a computer while in a coffee shopPEXELS
6 / 10
Try freelance writing
From writing articles to crafting ad copy or social media copy for other companies, strong writers have plenty of opportunity to make money from writing as a side hustle (Entrepreneur offers some tips for getting started here).
What is most appealing about freelance writing as a side hustle is the flexibility: you can do it pretty much anywhere and anytime. Sit in libraries or coffee shops and write all day, make your own schedule and work as early or late as you want… what more could you need in a side hustle?
There are many different doors you can open to go down the freelance-writing rabbit hole. Whether you write for a larger company, start small with a blog or self-publish your own book, freelance writing is definitely not a one-size-fits-all gig — take this side hustle and make it your own.
Related: What is 'quiet quitting' — and why is Gen Z doing it to avoid burnout?
A person typing on a laptop computerPEXELS
7 / 10
Consider investing wisely
There is money to be made in the world of investing and if you’re willing and daring enough to take the risk, you might see the rewards — just be sure to always do your research for your individual situation before diving in.
You may also like: 10 Government of Canada jobs in demand for 2023.
A woman typing on a laptop computerPEXELS
8 / 10
Try blogging
Similar to freelance writing, you can still sit in libraries and write on your own time, but blogging comes with a little more responsibility and a little less promise. A lot comes with making a blog from scratch, and not having a boss, or a schedule, puts the pressure on you to really commit to it. But with high risk comes high reward — here are a few ways that you can make money from blogging. Blogging is not only fun, but it can also be freeing — especially if you have a love for writing.
Related: All the Golden Globes 2023 TV acting award nominees, ranked by net worth.
A young woman taking into a smartphone camera while making a videoPEXELS
9 / 10
Create your own YouTube channel
As a true Gen Z, I am sure you have probably had your fair share of YouTube attempts from the early and rather hilarious cinnamon challenges or a day-in-my-life vlog to a full-on MUA makeup tutorial. Believe me, I've been there and done that.
But YouTube also has a lot more to offer — just don’t forget to monetize your YouTube channel so you can actually make money. Indeed offers some tips on how to monetize your YouTube videos here.
Related: The richest YouTubers — based on net orth.
10 / 10
Try Twitch
Do you play a video game, and have a fairly entertaining reaction while doing so? Grab a camera and try streaming it on Twitch. Seriously, it’s that simple… to start. The more you stream the further you can take it (think: investing in a cool setup, interacting with the chat, getting really good at a game and even overreacting a bit). But, if this isn’t your niche, there’s also a Twitch cooking world as well. Similar to most online side hustles, there are a few different ways to make money on Twitch. Some of the ways you may find the most success might be simply through a subscriber count or donations, though it could also come from ad revenue, brand sponsorships and even merchandise.
See also: The richest online gamers — based on net orth.
