Habits I’m Not Buying Into (As a Human, Not a Robot)

Being human in 2025 sometimes feels like a full-time job. Every scroll on Instagram or LinkedIn greets you with another “life hack” that promises success, wealth, and inner peace—if only you’d wake up at 5 a.m., drink green smoothies, and train for a marathon in your spare time. Productivity gurus with million-dollar smiles will happily sell you their routines, while self-help books insist that if you’re not hustling, you’re falling behind.

I’ve tried a handful of these habits. Some worked for me; most didn’t. What I’ve learned is simple: the path to self-worth and success isn’t a checklist of trendy habits—it’s about finding what actually fits into your life. Below are the myths I’m no longer buying into, and maybe you shouldn’t either.

Myth 1: You must wake up at 5 a.m. to be successful

I once set alarms for 5 a.m. for two weeks straight. You know what happened? I ended up groggy, cranky, and writing emails with typos that made my boss think I was drunk. Not everyone is wired to be a morning person. Some of us do our best work at midnight, fueled by quiet streets and leftover coffee.

The truth? Success doesn’t come from the clock—it comes from consistency. If you thrive at 10 a.m. or even 10 p.m., that’s your prime time. Don’t let someone else’s circadian rhythm dictate your worth.

Myth 2: If you don’t have a side hustle, you’re lazy

This one makes me laugh—and also makes me tired. I have a full-time job, bills to pay, a family to care for, and sometimes all the energy I have left at night goes into reheating leftovers and watching reruns of The Office.

Not having a side hustle doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It means you’re human. For some, side hustles are exciting creative outlets. For others, they’re exhausting obligations that drain more than they give. Both choices are valid. Rest is not laziness; it’s survival.

Myth 3: Hustle is the only path to success

The hustle culture myth is one of the most damaging. It whispers that if you’re not constantly grinding—working nights, weekends, vacations—you’ll fall behind. But here’s the reality: burnout is real, and it doesn’t care how ambitious you are.

I learned this the hard way when I once worked three jobs at once. My bank account was fuller, but my friendships suffered, my health declined, and I forgot what it felt like to laugh freely. Success means nothing if you’re too exhausted to enjoy it.

Myth 4: Journaling, meditation, or the gym are mandatory habits

I admire people who fill out gratitude journals every morning or run five miles before breakfast. But me? My gratitude sometimes looks like collapsing on the couch with a warm blanket and saying, “Thank God today is over.”

Yes, journaling, meditation, and the gym can be powerful tools—but they aren’t the only ways to be mindful, grateful, or healthy. Walking your dog, cooking a meal you love, or listening to your favorite music can serve the same purpose.

Habits should add joy to your life, not guilt when you skip them.

Myth 5: You must monetize every hobby

We live in a world where hobbies are treated like business pitches. Paint a picture? Sell it on Etsy. Bake cookies? Start a catering service. Write a poem? Self-publish and market it.

But what happened to doing things simply for joy? Not every skill or interest needs to become a source of income. I play guitar badly, and no one will ever buy a ticket to my “concerts”—but the twenty minutes I strum on my porch make me happier than another meeting on my calendar ever could.

The Reality Check

Here’s the truth I’ve learned after stumbling through all the productivity propaganda: there’s no one-size-fits-all blueprint. You don’t need to copy someone else’s routine to be worthy, creative, or successful.

Your life is not a TikTok reel. It’s messy, unpredictable, and uniquely yours. If waking up late, skipping the gym, or enjoying hobbies without monetizing them works for you—then you’re already living authentically.

Final Thoughts

The internet will always shout at you to do more, be more, achieve more. But maybe the real rebellion is to say: I’m enough, even without the 5 a.m. club or a six-figure side hustle.

Being human is more than a list of habits—it’s connection, creativity, and rest. So here’s to redefining success on your own terms. Not as a robot programmed for productivity, but as a human with a heartbeat, flaws, and dreams that can’t be measured by a to-do list.