The Myth of Always Being ‘On’ -by Taha Tariq

 There’s this unspoken rule a lot of us carry around in our heads- that we always have to be “on.” Always alert, always grinding, always moving. You wake up, check your phone before you even stretch, swipe through notifications like it’s second nature, and already your mind is on. Maybe it’s school stress, a reminder from your calendar, or a text you don’t feel like answering but will anyway. It’s all small stuff, but it adds up.

Everywhere you look, people glorify the hustle. Social media makes it seem like you should be building a business before breakfast, getting straight A’s, being socially available, and posting witty things online while managing your “mental health” on the side. It’s like if you’re not doing ten things at once, you’re not doing enough. But that pressure is brutal. You start living like rest is a weakness and silence is wasted time.

And when you finally sit still for a moment, your brain doesn’t. You're replaying awkward convos, stressing over grades, planning tomorrow's to-do list. That mental noise doesn't turn off just because your body slows down. Being “off” is becoming harder than ever. We’re so plugged into everything that unplugging feels uncomfortable. But maybe that discomfort is a sign we need it more than we think.

Psychologists have been talking about this nonstop mental load for years. According to Psychology Today, constantly multitasking and being overstimulated wears out our brain’s ability to regulate emotion, focus, and remember important things. It’s not just about being stressed- it’s about literally draining your cognitive energy every day without recharging (Hallowell). Over time, this messes with your attention span and emotional balance.

And here’s the thing: this isn’t just happening during intense moments. It’s happening during your “free time” too. Doomscrolling on TikTok, mindlessly checking DMs, overthinking what you said to someone earlier- it’s all taking up space in your head. The brain isn’t built to process that much constant interaction. It needs true pauses. Not distractions. Not fake breaks. Just silence.

The real myth is that you always have to be productive to be valuable. Like your worth is tied to how much you get done. But who decided that? When did we start equating burnout with success? Real productivity isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing what matters, and sometimes what matters most is giving your brain a break. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and you definitely can’t show up fully in life if you’re always halfway there.

There’s nothing wrong with taking time for nothing. Like sitting on your porch and watching clouds kind of nothing. Listening to music without texting anyone back kind of nothing. Laying on your bed, phone off, just breathing kind of nothing. Those moments aren’t laziness- they’re recovery. Your brain uses quiet time to recharge, organize memories, and reset emotional balance. Skipping those moments messes with your mood and focus more than you think.

You don’t owe anyone constant access. You don’t need to be reachable all the time. It’s okay to say “I’m not available right now” and not explain why. You don’t need to earn your rest. You just need to take it. The world moves fast, but you don’t have to. The best version of you isn’t the exhausted one dragging through the day. It’s the one that knows when to stop and breathe.

Next time you feel guilty for resting, remember that your brain is still working even when you’re not “doing” anything. And that’s reason enough to give it some peace. It’s not quitting. It’s just finally letting yourself exist without pressure.



Works Cited
Hallowell, Edward. “The Attention Deficit of Our Times.” Psychology Today, 12 Jan. 2024.

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