Smart Gen X & Millennial People Have Completely Stopped Enjoying 9 Things At This Point In Their Lives
Media Lens King | ShutterstockWith age comes wisdom, and Gen Xers and millennials are a testament to that fact. They've reached the stage in life where the things they enjoy are much simpler and less tied to approval and status.
When you're young, it's normal to follow trends and seek adventure at every turn, but as mid-life approaches, your tastes become more refined, and the smartest Gen Xers and millennials know that indulging intentionally is where it's at.
Smart Gen Xers & millennials happily no longer feel the need to engage in these once enjoyable things:
1. Keeping up with the Joneses
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People like to blame social media for comparison culture, and while it plays a part in chasing unrealistic expectations of everything from beauty to success, the truth is people have always quietly competed with each other to be the best. Whether it's having the nicest house in the neighborhood or having the perfectly curated relationship on Instagram, only the stage has changed.
One of the great things about getting older is that you stop feeling the need to compete. Gen X and millennials have reached that stage of life where they'd rather sit on the porch and watch the birds than take a perfectly angled selfie that makes them look like they're sunning themselves in Santorini. That's not to say they wouldn't take a selfie in Santorini; they just would prioritize the moment more than how they looked in the pic.
It's liberating not to worry about being the best. The focus becomes being actually happy instead of making it seem to everyone else that you're the happiest.
2. Mandatory after-hours work events that are disguised as fun
This is in the exact same category as this meeting could have been an email. Anything that takes away from getting their work done is a waste of time. Millennials and Gen Xers are at a point in their careers where they are starting to look forward to retirement but aren't quite there yet. That means they work hard while they are at work, but when the day ends, they want it to do exactly that.
The years of networking have passed for most over 40. Forced work fun is not actually fun. It's as exhausting as work, only it requires keeping that professional demeanor after hours when all they want to do is get in comfy clothes and watch Netflix.
There are always exceptions, and plenty of people have co-workers who are real friends. Having a drink after work with a friend you work with is a whole lot different than the marketing department Friday night pizza party, however. These two cohorts are at the point in life where they are very well aware of the distinction.
3. Spending money on short-lived stuff
Buying stuff is fun. But savvy Gen Xers and millennials know that quality is much more important than trends and short-lived junk. Otherwise you're just throwing money away.
A beautifully made but expensive little black dress is a much smarter purchase than a whole shopping bag filled with fast fashion items that will end up in a landfill. The same goes for furniture and appliances. When something is built to last, it's an investment.
Spending less on cheap stuff costs more in the long run. That doesn't mean you hit 30 and suddenly don't like a deal. Why do you think thrifting is so popular nowadays? It's because a quality used piece of furniture is a better buy than a piece you put together yourself from Target. And you'll probably spend less.
4. Group chats
I get so annoyed with group chats, and I haven’t even gotten to my 30s. I can only imagine how it feels for millennials and Gen X. Group chats always seem to get out of control, and your phone blows up all day. You feel obligated to contribute even when nothing is really being said.
While group chats can be a good way to connect, they don’t replace face-to-face interactions. Gen X is more used to socializing in person, so this likely annoys them more, but millennials still get annoyed with overly active group chats because they're exhausting.
This is good advice for all generations, really. Put the phones down or at least put them on silent and hit a coffee shop with someone for a quick catch-up.
5. Commuting to work
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If the pandemic taught Gen X and millennials anything, it's that remote work is hands down better than being in the office. Commutes, especially, are a waste of time and energy.
It's different when you're just starting out in your career. The commute is a time to get psyched up or to wind down. You put on your favorite playlist or podcast and enjoy the ride literally. And even for Gen Z, it's still a hassle.
Gen Z and millennials would rather start their workday an hour early than sit in a car for an hour getting frustrated. It's better for your sanity and for the environment.
6. Over-scheduled social calendars
The youngest millennials are 30, and the FOMO switch has flipped for them too. With age, you learn that doing what you really want to do in terms of a social life is much more enjoyable than showing up at every event because you don't want to be left out.
The smartest Gen Xers and millennials are perfectly content at home with a jigsaw puzzle instead of bar hopping on a Friday night. That doesn't mean they don't go out and paint the town red when they feel like it. They just don't feel obligated to do it when they don't want to.
All that's to say, these generations are happy doing what they want. Saturday night in bed by 8 p.m.? You do you! Tuesday night sushi dinner and concert? Have at it. The point is, these folks have reached an age where they aren't defined by how active their social lives are. They schedule their free time based on what makes them happy.
7. Research paper long texts that could have been a quick phone call
Yeah, we're back on the text train. Everyone can agree that texts are way more convenient than calls 99.9999% of the time. However, if you need to write a dissertation in a text message to tell a story or convey the right information, the Gen Xers and millennials in your life are likely going to be annoyed.
Some stuff just takes way too long to type out, and more important than that is the missing context cues. Even if your emoji game is strong, stuff gets lost in translation.
Gen Z has become so averse to phone calls that this is mostly on them. Phone calls aren't scary, and they don't have to be long and drawn out. No one wants that either. You can't get better at the practice unless you actually get on the horn as the olds say.
8. Vapid conversations
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For the most part, as people get older, they don't want to waste time on unnecessary things, including pointless conversations or small talk.
Chit-chatting with the barista is fun; that's not the same. Listening to a stranger or acquaintance drone on about how awesome they are or how their second cousin on their mother's side is having an affair with her gardener is not. Small talk that opens the door to connection is where Gen Xers and elder millennials excel, but they do not want to entertain or engage in talking to someone they just don't want in their social sphere.
You're not gonna get a second date with a Gen Xer or millennial if you spend the entire date talking about yourself. In fact, they might suddenly get a phone call that gets them completely out of the date. Just a heads up.
9. Team-building exercises at work
Millennials and Gen X have different ideas of how they want to work. Millennials prefer professional collaboration while Gen X prefers working independently. They're still able to bond over something, though. Both generations tend to hate team-building exercises.
Gen X usually sees them as pointless. They don't like relying on their team as much as younger generations, so team bonding can seem kind of irrelevant. Even though millennials prefer collaborative work, they still like purpose-driven assignments, and team-building exercises are rarely productive.
One of the only good things that could come out of these exercises is that millennial and Gen X co-workers bond organically, and that's how they prefer all their interactions to develop.
Lily Bell is a college student studying English and Publications who covers relationships, mental health, and personal narratives surrounding the human experience.
