The Toxicity of Hustle Culture on Black Women's Mental Health
Hustle culture has become a popular phenomenon that glorifies the idea of working non-stop and sacrificing everything for success. However, this culture has also become a toxic trend that harms many people's mental health, especially Black women. Society often expects Black women to carry the burden of perfection with little support for out growth and mental health. The pressure of living up to unrealistic expectations of success, beauty, and strength can lead to anxiety, depression, and even burnout.
Black women are already subjected to systemic oppression, including racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. This inequality in workplaces and society, coupled with the pressure to uphold hustle culture's values, can lead to unbearable stress. We feel as though we must work twice as hard as our peers to get half as far.
Often times we feel as if we must work, have several side hustles, invest in stocks, real estate, sing, dance, content create and obtain several degrees. This mindset increases the pressure and can lead to feelings of worthlessness when one does not meet their goals. Hustle culture promotes a single-minded focus on success, which ignores the importance of self-care and is often a financial trauma response.
Self-care is essential for everyone, but it's often dismissed when it comes to Black women. Mental health challenges and the pressure to keep hustling can prevent us from healing because we have filled our schedules up with distractions. This can have long-term mental and physical health effects. Chronic health issues, including high blood pressures, heart disease, and diabetes, are already widespread in the Black community. Increased workloads and stress exacerbate the potential health issues felt by Black women.
I would like to use Tasha Mack from the Paramount’s “The Game” as an example. Tasha was a boss and made a name for herself in a white male dominated industry while being a mother of 2 and a wife. In season 2, Tasha neglected her mental and physical health resulting with a battle with Fibroids due to stress. Fibroids is a huge health concern for Black women, luckily she tried various holistic methods such as Acupuncture to heal however her lack of prioritizing her health sooner resulted in a myomectomy- a surgery to remove the fibroids.
Moreover, hustle culture promotes the idea of "grinding and #teamnosleep" as the only way to make it successfully. This thinking leaves no room for balance, self-reflection, and healing. It's okay to rest and recharge your mind, body, and spirit. Hustle culture glorifies overwork; it is essential to remember that the body and mind need rest to function correctly. Taking time to unwind and relax is crucial.
We want you to live a softer life, and hustle culture presents a harmful narrative that can diminish the mental and physical wellbeing of Black women. We are not saying we do not want you to be successful and make more money but remember the pressure to be perfect and constantly produce, at a quicker pace than our peers, is unrealistic and can be damaging. It's crucial to prioritize mental health and balance when striving towards success. Self-care is an essential aspect of achieving balance, and it should never be ignored, especially in a society that already imposes different forms of oppression on Black women. Happy, Healthy and Wealthy is the mantra.
Happy Healing
