11 Things Gen Z Will Regret Wasting So Much Time On
Sometimes it's not what you don't do but what you did instead that you come to resent the most later in life.
Dean Drobot / Shutterstock There’s nothing people like more than giving unsolicited advice to younger generations, repeating the same basic but well-meaning phrases: dance like no one’s watching, make the most of every day, live with no regrets. It's an annoying habit, but it comes from a place of compassion.
People in older generations don’t want Gen Z to spend their one wild, precious life worrying about things that don’t really matter. Of all the things Gen Z will regret wasting so much time on, feeling disconnected from each other is a common thread. Living without regrets is impossible, but showing up authentically can help people find peace.
Here are 11 things Gen Z will regret wasting so much time on
1. Being chronically online
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Born between 1997 and 2012, Gen Z has never known life without the internet. They’ve been digitally fluent since they were in diapers, and they understand more than anyone what a double-edged sword that is.
For Gen Z, the division between technology and daily life doesn’t actually exist. Their online presence becomes their identity. They share their lives on social media without a second thought, but at some point, Gen Z will regret wasting so much time being chronically online.
As social psychologist Jonathan Haidt wrote in the New York Times, most of Gen Z already regret being on social media, but they don’t know how to live without it. 60% of Gen Z said social media has a negative impact on society, even though over 60% spend at least four hours scrolling every day.
The scales have now tipped from casual consumption to problematic use, which Haidt defined as “the term psychologists use to describe compulsive overuse that interferes with success in other areas of life.”
Online communities provide solace and a sense of connection, but they can’t compare to IRL interactions. Gen Z needs more than group chats and kissy face emojis. They need to sit with their loved ones and listen to them laugh, like everyone else on this earth.
2. Anxiety
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Gen Z is still young, falling between the ages of 13 and 28 years old, but they’ve witnessed enough “once in a lifetime” events to last several lifetimes. They have to find their way in an increasingly unstable world, accepting chaos as the norm. Even though Gen Z comes by their anxiety honestly, they’ll regret spending so much time feeling anxious.
According to a mental health report from Harvard University, young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 report twice the rate of anxiety and depression as teens. Over half of those young adults said their stress stems from financial worries and achievement pressure. Over half of them said their lives lack meaning and purpose. Just under half said they have the “sense that things are falling apart” around them.
Gen Z is anxious for very real reasons, both practical and existential. Telling them to stop being anxious is a subtle form of gaslighting, denying their reality and causing harm. If older generations want to be supportive, we need to listen without judgement and stay committed to our communities.
If being an elder millennial is worth anything, it’s the knowledge that a life defined by anxiety is a life spent grieving. It’s so easy to get lost in that feeling, yet giving ourselves permission to be joyful and stay present is the most loving thing we can do.
3. Impulse shopping
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As long as it’s done in small doses, mindless scrolling is a valid way to decompress. Wasting time on social media isn’t always a bad thing, but wasting money on it is. Gen Z will regret their TikTok-fueled impulse shopping in the future, if they don’t already.
According to a Bankrate survey, over half of Gen Z said that social media influences their spending habits, encouraging them to buy things they can’t afford. As Bankrate senior industry analyst Ted Rossman explained, “Young adults are especially likely to be swayed by experiences.”
Gen Z understands that social media is set up to promote unrealistic lifestyle standards and make people seem more successful than they actually are, but they still have negative feelings about their finances after seeing other people’s posts. Feeling less-than leads them to spend money they don’t have, which reinforces their negative self-worth.
4. Comparing themselves to others
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Gen Z will regret wasting so much time comparing themselves to others, instead of appreciating the lives they have. Playing the comparison game is a normal part of being human, but as YourTango's CEO Andrea Miller explained, “in our society, it’s become much more extreme.”
“That feeling of not being enough, of not being good enough, of failing to really love and appreciate ourselves is at the heart of this phenomenon,” she revealed.
At its core, Comparison Culture is about being stuck in a scarcity mindset. If we want true abundance, we have to learn to love ourselves for who we are, now.
“To be truly who we are, imperfections, flaws, failures, and all, is truly the greatest gift we can give ourselves,” Miller shared. “It is the ultimate power move. It is the ultimate act of self-advocacy and self-care.”
5. Having FOMO
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As a digitally fluent generation, Gen Z always has a finger on the pulse, literally. They’re hyper-connected and highly aware, but having unrestricted access to all the information in the world isn’t always the healthiest way to live.
Gen Z suffers from serious FOMO, and they’ll regret letting their ‘Fear of Missing Out’ rule their lives. A study from the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services revealed a direct connection between the information overload social media creates and the FOMO Gen Z feels.
“The majority of Generation Z are facing challenges related to FOMO, as they are afraid of missing any vital information or events as compared to others,” the researchers explained.
For all the pressure Gen Z is under, giving themselves permission to miss out is a way to manage their anxiety, reset their nervous system, and rediscover who they really are, away from social media.
6. Settling for situationships
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Gen Z will regret staying in unfulfilling situationships because they were too scared to say what they really needed. Keeping things casual isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but settling for the bare minimum is a sign you don’t believe in your own worth.
According to Eli Rallo, setting boundaries and knowing what you really want are essential for a successful situationship.
“Check in with yourself,” she said. “Our feelings can change; they do change. They’re allowed to change… Leave when it stops being fun, because you deserve to have fun, at the end of the day.”
7. Doomscrolling
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Just because Gen Z has the ability to access all of the information in the world at once, that doesn’t mean it’s good for them. There’s a big difference between being informed and getting stuck in our endlessly negative news cycle, and understanding where to draw the line is crucial.
Gen Z will regret wasting so much time doomscrolling. Getting sucked into the vortex of bad news does more than waste Gen Z’s time, it wreaks havoc on their mental health. Doomscrolling doesn’t offer solutions, it just makes people feel helpless and isolated. If Gen Z is truly committed to healing, they need to disconnect from their feeds and reconnect to what grounds them.
8. Side hustles
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Even though the sense of financial instability Gen Z feels is very real, they’ll regret wasting so much time on side hustles. Gen Z has first-hand experience with how volatile the job market is. They’re trying harder than ever to diversify their income streams and support themselves with side hustles.
Gen Z is laser-focused on finding non-traditional paths to success, but monetizing their hobbies isn’t really enough. Having a side hustle is Gen Z’s way to future-proof their lives, but those hustles really help them. Gen Z shouldn’t have to rely on side hustles to make ends meet. They deserve living wages, job security, and endless opportunities.
9. Having unhealthy sleep habits
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Staying up late and scrolling is part of Gen Z’s bedtime routine, but they’ll regret having such unhealthy sleep habits. According to mental health coach Dr. Teralyn Sell, “screens interrupt your natural circadian rhythm, aka your sleep-wake cycle.”
“Using technology or TV while in bed causes you to go to bed later and keeps your brain from shutting down, due to stimulation,” Dr. Sell explained. “Cut tech time and TV off one to two hours before bedtime to improve your sleep quality,” she advised.
10. Being scared to make mistakes
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Gen Z will regret the things they don’t do because they were too scared of failing to take risks and try something new. Making mistakes might not be comfortable, but making excuses and avoiding challenges keeps people stuck in place.
“Setting meaningful goals can be scary and anxiety-provoking,” psychologist Guy Winch explained. “Our mind is likely to respond to our fear by providing us with excuses that encourage us to give up before we start.”
“The key is to acknowledge our fears, recognize the challenges, and set correct expectations, yet create an open path to success,” he continued. “Instead of imagining what it will feel like to fail, imagine what it will feel like to succeed.”
11. Keeping their feelings to themselves
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Even though Gen Z gets dragged for being too sensitive, being in touch with their emotions is actually their superpower. Even though they know how they feel, they don’t always express their emotions. They might not realize it, but Gen Z will regret not sharing their feelings with the people who matter most.
As the host of the Zurkie Show explained, being vulnerable is scary, but living with regrets is way worse.
“When you don’t express how you feel, it bottles up, and you become bitter,” he said. “There are a lot of people in this life who didn’t do what they wanted to do, who didn’t say things that they wanted to say, who didn’t tell someone that they had feelings for them.”
“You should tell them,” he said. “That doesn’t just go for relationships, he said. It goes for friendships, too. It goes for opportunities. It goes for ideas that you have in your life that you just wish you would have shared, that you would have told someone.”
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a staff writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
