Staying busy all day long is fast becoming the norm for regular people across the country. With CEOs and corporate bosses harping on the importance of productivity and calling for increased work hours, the condition can take a turn for the worse.
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This is wreaking havoc on the health of every human being, yet there are many who glorify hustle culture and turn it into a status symbol. Speaking with HT Lifestyle, Dr Anant Kulkarni, medical director at Harley of London, India, called out the phenomenon, stating, “Busy is the new smoking.”
“Just as tobacco’s dangers were ignored for decades, we are overlooking how chronic overwork silently corrodes health,” Dr Kulkarni explained. He went on to list the ways in which the “always-active” lifestyle affects the health of individuals, and shared what habits one should consider changing.
How staying active always affects health
According to Dr Kulkarni, the “always-on” lifestyle keeps our bodies locked in fight-or-flight mode. This results in the following:
- Surge in cortisol levels within the body
- Breakdown of sleep schedule
- Weakening immunity
Over time, this leads to the following:
“Running nonstop without recovery is not resilience — it is self-destruction,” warned Dr Kulkarni. “Our bodies were never designed for perpetual busyness. What we call ‘hustle’ is, in fact, a health hazard.”
Habits to consider changing to stay healthy
To maintain good health, a person in the hustle culture needs to address a number of habits, noted Dr Kulkarni. They are presented as follows.
- Redefining progress: Frantic activity is not efficiency. One hour of deep focus delivers more impact than five hours of scattered multitasking.
- Learning to say “No”: In a culture that glorifies saying yes, the word “no” is a survival tool. Protecting your time is not indulgence — it is essential.
- Prioritising pause: Stillness is not laziness. Short breaks, mindful walks, or screen-free minutes reset the nervous system and fuel performance.
“Busyness is not a medal; it is a slow drain on lifespan. The true marker of success is sustainable, meaningful output — not frantic motion,” stated Dr Kulkarni. “One must stop wearing exhaustion as proof of ambition and start valuing balance as the foundation of achievement.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
