Why are we still glorifying burnout in 2025?
It’s 2025. We know burnout is bad. We know sleep deprivation makes us worse at everything. We know that overwork kills creativity.
And yet, the culture hasn’t changed. Founders still brag about 100-hour weeks. Startups still expect employees to be "all in." Corporate workers still feel guilty for using their PTO.
If the science is so clear, why is hustle culture still the default? Is it just the way work is structured, or are we addicted to looking busy?
Replies
I have a very odd hypothesis here: workers and especially founders are just so anxiety that the hard 100-hour week makes them a little bit more calmer...
Even when people know burnout is bad, they still push themselves to the limit. Old habits die hard. Seems like tracking your energy cycles (knowing when you’re at your peak vs. when you need rest) and prioritizing quality downtime—like exercise, time with loved ones (without screens) —could really help reduce burnout.