Kevin O’Leary once said that ‘9-to-5 only’ people that want ‘balance in life’ don’t work for him — and hopes his competitors hire them instead. Is work-life balance really that important?

In the description, O’Leary explains that remote work has rendered the typical nine-to-five working day “obsolete” and that it doesn’t matter what your work hours are as long as you “go above and beyond for your organization.”

The “Shark Tank” star isn’t the only one pushing hustle culture on ordinary workers. His co-star, billionaire Mark Cuban, once encouraged workers and entrepreneurs to, “work like there is someone working 24 hours a day to take it all away from you.”

But in an era where burnout is a growing concern, and the backlash against hustle culture is gaining steam, is his no-excuses approach a recipe for success, or a fast track to losing top talent?

Hustling is no longer cool

As millionaires and billionaires continue to glorify the grind, everyday workers seem to be on a different page. According to the KeyBank 2024 Financial Mobility Survey, 72% of U.S. adults said they prefer to define success based on “soft-life culture,” which is focused on happiness and fulfillment, rather than “hustle culture,” which prioritizes wealth and status.

This shift could be the result of growing awareness of the mental and emotional burden of stressful work. Recent research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) found that 45% of U.S. employees said their work made them feel “emotionally drained,” while 51% said they felt “used up” at the end of the workday.

There’s also growing concern about the physical toll of extended hours and stressful work. The recent deaths of two young investment bankers, 35-year-old Leo Lukenas III and 28-year-old Carter McIntosh, has sparked a debate about Wall Street’s notoriously difficult work culture.

For many, the financial incentives of sleeping at the office and skipping weekends with family is simply not worth it. In fact, 63% of Americans said they prioritize work-life balance, while only 27% of respondents said they value a high-paying salary more, according to KeyBank. At the same time, Ford's 2024 Trends Survey found that 52% of workers said they would be willing to take a 20% pay cut to achieve a better quality of life.

With this in mind, here’s how you can improve your life satisfaction and strike a better balance between your personal and professional life.

Work smarter, not harder

If hustle culture is unappealing to you, there are several ways you can strike a better balance in your work and personal life.