Rebecca Manzi Millennials are increasingly tired: they are the most affected by burnout due to a culture that has imposed on them an exasperated productivity model
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In the past decade, several studies have shown that millennials between 1981 and 1996 are the most victimized generation by burnout. This state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion created by chronic stress overloads has been studied by American journalist Anne Helen Petersen in her essay Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation and in published research by Captain Swing.
“Burnout is not a temporary issue, but an ongoing condition that defines the daily life of this generation,” Petersen contends
Burnout is not a transient issue but an ongoing condition that defines the daily life of millennials, Petersen contends. The root of the issue is a culture that imposed an overblown model of productivity on them from their early years.
Raised thinking that success depended on personal endeavor alone, millennials have had to contend with an entirely different world. The fantasies of stable employment and easy lifestyles were at odds with a risky job market, flat pay, and a ever-increasing cost of living. The outcome is an entire generation of individuals living in a chronic state of exhaustion, trying to meet impossible ideals.
The pressure to always be active, available, and performing has created an environment where rest is perceived as a waste of time
One of the causes of the problem is hyperconnectivity. The illusion that technology would make life easier has turned into a double-edged sword: today, the borders between work and private life are increasingly blurred, so it becomes nearly impossible to actually disconnect. The need to be constantly connected, available, and productive has bred a culture where rest is viewed as a wasteful period of time and not a necessity.
Burnout is not only a physical condition but has deep psychological implications. Depression and anxiety are on the rise more and more among millennials, often fueled by economic instability and the feeling of never being “enough.” Peruvian psychologist Iván La Rosa notes that this generation finds itself trapped in an endless cycle of dissatisfaction: anxiety is driven by concerns over the future, and depression can result from regret over the past.
Prioritizing rest doesn’t mean being less ambitious, but ensuring a more mentally sustainable and fulfilling life
This phenomenon needs to be addressed in terms of cultural change. Learning to prioritize boundaries, understanding that not everything is an emergency, and putting an end to the glorification of productivity no matter what are key moves towards finding balance again. Prioritizing rest does not mean being less ambitious, but ensuring a more mentally sustainable and ultimately more fulfilling life.
