REST IS RESISTANCE
written by KADENCE WONG
edited by VIRGINIA BIFFEN
School isn't school if someone doesn't bemoan about their brain fog, missing homework, or non-existent social life, nor is it uncommon to hear discussions about 1 AM bed schedules. Even when exhausted, you still hear the same mantras repeated endlessly by fellow students, which, while in good intention, seem to make absolutely no difference to your energy levels.
Oh, it's just the start of IB. It gets worse.
Hard work pays off. No pain, no gain.
You'll get to rest when you get that IB 45.
While it's true that such phrases can serve as motivation for individuals, why should meeting our goals be done at the expense of our mental and physical health? How has academics (and life in general) become so competitive? Is too much of a supposedly good thing - i.e. work - bad?
artwork by VIVIAN JIA
As someone with personal experience, I believe most of the problems above can be traced back to one thing - hustle culture.
Depending on the community you are in, hustle culture may have positive or negative connotations. To some, hustle culture is a lifestyle. These are people who always work, never stop, and constantly look for the next chance for self-improvement. Good grades, a broad social network, and strategic extracurriculars like internships or volunteer work are essential. One should be featured in the media at least twice. Idleness is not an option.
On the contrary, many more people perceive hustle culture as suffocating, even harmful. Hustle culture isn't about working hard anymore; it's about this toxic collective urge to work excessively and become better than everyone else. We judge ourselves to match the impossible-seeming standards set by our peers and social media. Work, therefore, occupies every second of our lives, whilst a to-do list occupies every part of our attention.
Moreover, hustle culture takes a toll on our bodies. With pressure to abide by the spirit of hustling, we often create or set unhealthy habits to sustain our working environment. Maybe you start consuming coffee to keep yourself awake. Late-night study sessions have become the norm. Meal skipping becomes a regular part of your routine. Eventually, you become so tired that you lack energy for self-care, lose interest in the hobbies you care about or even break down from the amount of stress you experience. Only when you take a step back from working do you realise how fatigue and burnout have become the norm.
Although we all want to attain success as dictated by society, I do not think current standards are realistic enough for anyone to follow. Instead of hustle culture, I suggest an alternative philosophy: active rest.
Too often, we heed the ever-growing to-do list in front of us; it feels lazy or fraud-like if you take a break. True, the world does not stop moving. But with active rest, you intentionally take the time to end work and focus instead on areas you've neglected while grinding.
The first step is to become aware of hustle culture and whether you are affected by it. Do you feel depleted? That there’s no time to relax? I also suggest you take a moment to think: am I doing all this because I want to, and not just to meet someone's expectations or maintain an image of myself? If your answer is 'no' to any of these questions, then maybe it is time to reconsider what makes you happy and cut down your activities from there.
Also, this may sound counter-intuitive, but try scheduling your essential tasks into your calendar, such as eating, sleeping (aim for 8 hours per day), showering, socialising, and any other events you deem necessary. Set boundaries between work and rest, and clarify that you will not tolerate 2 AM calls when you may very well be asleep. Such a method worked very well for me, enabling me to meet all my basic needs before considering my capacity for work on that day. By putting aside time to do personal tasks and sticking to them, you are less likely to fall into a vicious cycle of overwork and burnout.
Try to do everything with intention. Rather than eating while texting your friends and simultaneously watching a Netflix drama, try to pick one thing to focus your attention on. Give your mind time to wonder. Resist the urge to pick up your phone. Sometimes it’s best to get away from the hustle and bustle, sit there, and just think.
Work well, but also rest well. Remember, your worth is not equal to your output. Monetary or social success is not the benchmark for happiness. Sometimes, taking a break is the most productive thing of all.