The Myth of the "Side Hustle": How It Normalizes Overwork While Disguising It as Entrepreneurship

Mar 13
The "side hustle" is often marketed as a path to financial freedom, but in reality, it normalizes overwork while disguising it as entrepreneurship. Many people take on side gigs not out of passion, but out of necessity, compensating for stagnant wages and rising living costs. Instead of addressing these systemic issues, society pushes the "just hustle harder" mentality. This blog explores how side hustle culture blurs the line between empowerment and exploitation, and why true entrepreneurship should be about ownership and freedom -not just survival.

The side hustle culture 

The "side hustle" has become a cultural phenomenon. It’s marketed as a pathway to financial freedom, a badge of ambition, and a way to “be your own boss” without quitting your day job. Platforms are flooded with success stories—someone who turned a weekend hobby into a six-figure business or an influencer preaching the grind with #hustleharder captions.
But beneath the motivational quotes and the glorification of working 24/7 lies an uncomfortable reality:

The side hustle culture often disguises overwork as empowerment while ignoring the systemic reasons people feel forced to take on multiple jobs just to stay afloat.

From Passion to Necessity

The idea of the side hustle isn’t new. People have always taken on extra work to supplement their income—whether it was freelancing, selling handmade crafts, or driving a taxi. But today, the narrative has shifted. It’s no longer just a necessity; it’s been repackaged as a desirable lifestyle.

Entrepreneurship, by definition, involves risk, ownership, and the potential for true independence. A side hustle, on the other hand, is often just a second (or third) job—except now, it’s dressed up as self-made success.

Here’s where the problem lies:
  • Many people don’t start side hustles out of passion. They start because their primary job doesn’t pay enough to cover rent, healthcare, or basic expenses.
  • The gig economy (Uber, DoorDash, Fiverr, etc.) sells flexibility but often delivers unpredictability, low pay, and no job security.
  • Social media makes entrepreneurship look easy, but in reality, most side hustles require full-time effort to become financially sustainable.
Instead of addressing stagnant wages, rising costs of living, and job insecurity, society pushes the "just get a side hustle" mentality. It shifts the burden of financial stability onto individuals while absolving companies and governments of responsibility.

The Hustle Trap: Working More, Earning Less

For some, a side hustle is truly entrepreneurial, it’s a stepping stone to financial freedom. But for many, it just means working longer hours for marginal gains.

Side hustle culture glorifies:
  • Waking up at 5 AM to grind before your day job.
  • Using every “free” hour to monetize a skill.
  • Sacrificing rest, hobbies, and personal time in the name of productivity.
But here’s the catch: working multiple jobs doesn’t automatically lead to wealth. In fact, it often leads to:
  • Burnout – The pressure to be "always on" wears people down. Rest is seen as laziness rather than necessity.
  • Exploitation – Gig economy platforms profit while workers shoulder the risks with no benefits or stability.
  • The illusion of control – Many “side hustles” are just more labour disguised as independence.

Breaking Free from the Hustle Mentality

Instead of pushing the side hustle as the default answer, we should be asking bigger questions:
  • Why are people forced to take on extra jobs just to afford a basic living?
  • How can we build better workplaces that pay fairly and offer work-life balance?
  • What policies need to change so that financial security isn’t dependent on working 60+ hours a week?

True entrepreneurship is about ownership, innovation, and freedom—not survival

If your side hustle is a stepping stone to something bigger, that’s great. But if it’s just a way to compensate for a broken system, then maybe the conversation we need isn’t about hustling harder—it’s about demanding better.
At ReMind Virtual Academy, we believe success shouldn’t come at the cost of burnout. Instead of glorifying the hustle, we focus on equipping you with the skills, mindset, and strategies to build a sustainable career or business—without overworking yourself into exhaustion.
Ready to learn smarter, not just work harder? Explore our programmes and start building a future that works for you.
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Join ReMind Virtual Academy today and take control of your growth - on your terms.
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