By Aisling O’Toole
Social media’s 5-9 trend is hard to ignore. It started to gain popularity in early 2023 and has taken TikTok and Instagram by storm, becoming one of its most searched for hashtags.
Essentially, the 5-9 trend sees people share their pre-or post-work routine, and can include anything from working out to meal prepping, meditating to journaling and laundry to washing dishes.
On the surface, it seems like a good way to share life hacks and take inspiration from how other people handle time management and prioritise their tasks.
But scratch a little deeper and you might see that the 5-9 trend is glamorising hustle culture, which can impact on your feelings of self worth and negatively impact your career.
Since the pandemic, workers have realised the importance of work-life balance and have started to actively reject hustle culture. They have realised that quality over quantity matters when it comes to professional output and the importance of downtime.
Adding to the pressure
With rising calls for a four-day work week and growing demand for true workplace flexibility, it seemed the tide was turning on an “always on” culture.
Statistically, 76% of workers have experienced burnout at some stage in their career. New research shows that burnout isn’t just caused from periods of overwork and high stress, instead it’s caused by the slow and systematic increase in working hours that results in less time for downtime.
This is where the 5-9 trend can add to the pressure, pushing workers to achieve more with their time, leading to them more likely to experience burnout.
A recent survey on the impact of burnout shows that 84% of workers try to power through burn out, resulting in loss of motivation, reduced self confidence and the inability to achieve high level tasks due to fatigue––the exact things that are needed to achieve career success.
On average, Australian workers put in four hours unpaid overtime each week, which explains why work-life balance is lower than the rest of the world.
However, the increase in burnout can be split equally between employers and workers, with experts saying that employers need to trust workers to hit targets and goals with a certain amount of flexibility, while workers need to become proactive in protecting their personal time.
If you struggle to prioritise downtime and know that you’re doing everything you can but won’t win out against a toxic culture that prioritises being “‘always on”, then maybe it is time to find a new role with a company that cares about its employees’ wellbeing, and promotes downtime.
The Professional Beauty Job Board is full of roles across all experience levels with global companies renowned for their commitment to work life balance and employee satisfaction. Three companies currently hiring include:
Sephora
Global retailer Sephora is dedicated to employee wellbeing with policies that are founded in the belief that beauty thrives with diversity. The company offers workers a chance for continued training as well as access to a range of mental health supports to ensure everyone feels supported within the workplace. Find current opportunities with Sephora here.
Aesop
Australian-founded beauty brand Aesop cares about the wellbeing of staff and to prove it, offers flexible working hours as a way to ensure all workers feel supported and cared for. Other benefits offered by the retailer include continued training, a product allowance, medical insurance and pension contributions. Explore working with Aesop here.
The Body Shop
Since it was founded in 1976 The Body Shop has been committed to proving that business can do good in the world––and that ethos translates to its treatment of staff. Now a global business serving over 30 million customers and employing over 20,000 people worldwide, The Body Shop takes an ethical approach to human resources and encourages diversity among its workforce. Find out about the roles currently available here.
Browse the Professional Beauty Job Board to find your dream role
This article was produced in partnership with Jobbio.
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