Gen Zedders are no strangers to hustle culture. And when the first sparks of burnout
begin to appear? We have more pressing priorities – self care can wait for a more
convenient moment to arise.
Lazy, self pitying and narcissistic, Gen Z is commonly described in Reddit feeds and
the facebook posts of Boomers and Gen X. But overworked, overwrought and
underpaid feels like the new norm.
In his article, “The Aspirations of Human Capital”, sociologist Feher discusses the
importance of ‘human capital’ in the current job market. He explains that the selling
point of an individual is no longer simply our qualifications but our personality, our
sports routine, our romantic relationships, our friendships, our aesthetic.
It is no longer enough to know how to make coffee; you have to fit a certain image to
be hired as a minimum wage barista at your trendy local cafe.
We are experiencing the rise of the Precariat – an employment class defined by
insecurity, short term contract roles, and no future security. In a Bloomsburg article,
economist Pennington predicts Gen Z will be the first generation in recent ages
that will be poorer than our parents.
We see a million different pathways. Memes about the unemployed friend who just
travels. The corporate businesswoman who buys expensive matcha lattes. A million
beautiful lives that we can attain. Gen Z is paralysed by a wealth of opportunity. And
in the current cost of living crisis, many of these ‘options’ are mere illusions.
Yet instead of pushing for societal change, the individualistic society has created its
own solution. It is called ‘taking care of yourself’ and it is your responsibility.
Taking care of yourself can mean many things. It can mean using tracking devices
like an Apple watch to optimise your sleep — so that you can function at your best. It
can mean mindfulness and remembering to clear your head — so that you can be
more productive.
Gen Z has been trained to recognise our problems, diagnose them, take pills and
just keep working for our whole lives.
And now many have crashed.
It is no surprise mental health issues are rising. The latest AIHW data from 2021
reveals that 22 per cent of 15-34 year olds have experienced anxiety or depression.
But this wave of burnout has not been taken lying down.
From the Bai Lan movement in China to the Quiet Quitting that began in the United
States, a growing number of young people from across the globe are fighting for
work-life balance.
Sites like LinkedIn, Indeed and ScreenCloud show more companies are writing
about boundaries and work-life balance in their job descriptions.
A remodelling of working culture is being fought for, with the outcome yet to be seen.
