A Psychological and Cultural Lens on Modern Overwork

In MENA, productivity has become a badge of honor — but at what cost?

While startup hubs like Dubai and Cairo boom with innovation, a silent crisis brews beneath the surface: toxic productivity. Long hours, burnout, anxiety, and the glorification of overwork are causing professionals across the region to crack under pressure.

🚩 Where It Comes From:

Cultural expectations of duty and “hard work equals honor” Economic pressures, youth unemployment, and global competition Imported hustle culture from Silicon Valley, magnified by social media

💥 Psychological Toll:

Chronic burnout and perfectionism Identity tied to productivity Guilt around rest or saying “no”

🌐 Who’s Affected?

Office workers avoiding vacations to ‘stay relevant’ Startup founders collapsing under pressure to scale fast Freelancers caught in the “time poverty” trap

🌱 What’s Changing?

UAE’s 4.5-day workweek & right-to-disconnect policies Mental health movements on LinkedIn & Instagram Gen Z quietly rejecting hustle culture in favor of balance and peace

✅ What We Need:

Slow productivity over nonstop hustle Smart work systems, not hero work hours Boundaries, rest, and mental health awareness

🧭 Beyond the Hustle: What Years Across Industries & Startups Taught Me

While working in aviation (currently), and across other sectors in the past — from petrochemicals to HR and entrepreneurship — I’ve seen hustle culture in many forms.

I’ve launched ventures that succeeded, and others that didn’t. I’ve experienced moments of pride, and times of burnout that affected my focus and creativity.

Each industry has taught me something new, and part of my purpose is to simplify the path for those who follow.

🚫 Hustle alone doesn’t build success — clarity, courage, and compassion do.

🧩 My message now is: Work with purpose. Rest without guilt. Leave behind systems that are simpler, kinder, and more human.