ARE WE REALLY THE UNHAPPIEST GENERATION AND CAN WE SOLVE IT?
Research suggests younger people are generally less happy than their counterparts, due to being accustomed to life through the lens of social media. With little data showing the overall benefits of online media sharing platforms, quality of life for younger generations has shown a decline in the last decade, dubbed the ‘equivalent to a midlife crisis’.
In 2018, a new index looking into people’s wellbeing identified a lack of personal and social connection between young adults aged 20 - 29 year old towards their friends and family, far more so than previous generations (overall wellbeing declined by 10%).
Since the COVID-19 global pandemic in 2020 forced everyone to seek out connections online while being confined to their homes for almost two years and two lockdowns; social interactions changed, many deciding to work from home indefinitely, or pack up and travel the world, some even switching careers in the hunt for self-fulfillment.
In turn, the idea of community declined, with clubs, groups and ‘third spaces’ disbanding forever(a.k.a. third spaces being different social surroundings outside of home and workplace settings - Blockbuster before the birth of Netflix comes to mind, or your local bowling alley, book shop, coffee hangout, breakfast bar, and sports centre).
This is where the idea of ‘nostalgic for childhood experiences’ intertwines with modern-day life. Creating a community takes time and energy, consistency and enjoyment. The days of asking your neighbour for a cup of sugar, or to watch your kids as you go on your daily errands run seems very furlong. Sharing ideas, experiences and feeling a sense of acceptance is what we all crave and need in order to improve our mental wellbeing.
20-something’s moving to a new city for the first time, a new family relocating to a small remote town outside of their busy hustle and bustle city, and an elderly couple deciding to take their first trip abroad in years, all have one thing in common; they are entering a season of discomfort and change. This can be exciting, filled with much potential to grow and evolve as human beings, however it can also be daunting, anxiety-inducing and frightening.
One of the reasons we stay in unhappy environments, wishing for new horizons of fulfillment but never actually getting to achieve it, is because we prefer comfort, and less anxiety-inducing non-chaotic lives.
Turning our attention to the compounding impacts of high social media usage, research indicates the dramatic increase in online interconnection has also added a layer of discomfort to existing traits in younger people exhibiting perfectionist habits, comparing lives to those of peers including success and failures, alongside envy and jealousy sprouting from wanting a sense of belonging, but lacking the tools to follow through.
There is also the argument that mindset and cultural shifts in generations have been wreaking havoc on worker-mentality in the last few years as Gen Z and Millennials collaborate more together, not always having the desired outcome, rendering corporate life a thing of the past.
AFRG explored this in the blog Gen Alpha - Cyber Security Awareness discussing how this new generation is considered to be evolving at a fast pace, exhibiting characteristics including inquisitiveness, assertiveness, free thinking, and a desire to push the boundaries of technology, and knowledge. Striving towards entrepreneurial mindsets in future will defer to aspirations for starting multiple streams of income outside of the corporate world, and ‘being your own boss’, a trend set to skyrocket the industry in as little as 4-5 years.
Lack of strong bonds in the workplace between colleagues and team members can create challenges when thinking about getting ahead, moving up the corporate ladder and making gains in the promotion space. This can cause unhappiness, further exacerbated by seeing peers on social media launch their own successful businesses, side hustles and exciting new ventures.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO SOLVE THe unhappiness problem?
Limit screen time, set a timer if you need to, but make sure to monitor social media usage and the eventuality of pointless scrolling through videos and unwanted content, that can increase levels of harmful dopamine and anxiety. It can also be worth keeping a log of each time you feel certain negative emotions when scrolling, and try your best to switch up your content viewership. For example, resetting the algorithm on Instagram and TikTok, and only choosing specific accounts you like to see content from can be a way to minimise adversity. However, it is also important to champion other people’s successes in life, as a way to push you into your own success, believing it can happen to anyone.
Self care comes in many forms. For AFRG’s founder, self care means having a strong morning routine. This usually consists of exercise, showering, breakfast and saying three daily mantras written down in her journal. The point here is, self care doesn’t need to be a page long ‘to do list’ everyday, it should be creative, fun, easy, and tailored to your needs. Notice how phone usage is not incorporated into the founder’s morning routine, that’s because Alexandra chooses to not log into any platforms until the routine is done and it is time to check-in with her community (around 8:30am).
Clear your thoughts, and start setting life goals. This can be super tricky because if you don’t know what you want to get out of your life, writing it down may result in insufficient ideas. The key thing to remember is, it is YOUR life to create however you please, and that means writing down one or two things you’re interested in. For example, creating stronger connections with friends and spending more time with family; or deciding which career path you want to delve deeper into through taking a new course online to expand your learning. Whatever it might be, taking some time to write down your thoughts can start a timeline, directly sending you into your next season of life.
AFRG CLUB GUIDE TO COMMUNITY:
AFRG NETWORK is a new community created to build long-lasting connections between everyone. The focus is on retail, fashion and cyber security, however AFRG wants to foster innovation, help build careers, and join people together through authentic relationship building.
Locals - discovery app of events and communities full of inspiring, mindful and entrepreneurial people. Many events are advertised on this platform, including local run clubs, coffee mornings, exhibition groups, networking sessions and fireside chats/workshops diving into specific niches.
Eventbrite - event marketplace for collaborators and innovators to advertise the latest opportunities for people to come together, sharing mutual interests in a specific topic or field of study.
Substack - platform for thought sharers, blog writers, combining website features with podcasting/newsletter. AFRG often shares blog posts and handy tips for staying safe online.
Meetup - find the latest events, join groups, start your own group or club, and connect with like minded people in your local area and beyond.
