8 Things Gen-Z Gets Completely Right, Even If Boomers Hate To Admit It
Romanchini | Shutterstock It's impossible to ignore generational tensions affecting age groups like Gen-Z and Baby Boomers, often sparked by changing social norms. According to research, these tensions not only affect workplace productivity, but they also tend to spark personal resentment between adult children and their older family members.
While there's no right or wrong way to live your life, there are certain things Gen-Z is right about, even if it makes Boomers mad. From overcoming toxic social stigmas to redefining workplace expectations, sometimes wisdom comes from younger generations making a push toward much-needed change.
A few things Gen-Z gets completely right, even if Boomers hate to say so:
1. Protecting their mental health
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Many Boomers are still grappling with mental health stigmas from early in life that precluded them from seeking support and coping with internal emotional turmoil, according to a study from Geriatric Psychiatry. For their younger peers, like Gen-Zers, it's a priority to overcome this ingrained social stigma. They're working toward a collective belief that mental health isn't just something you need to acknowledge and protect to thrive, but that it takes daily rituals to safeguard. From eating the right foods to moving their bodies, engaging in healthy social interaction, and even having hard conversations, mental health is a huge priority for them.
2. Having an identity outside of work
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Growing up in a hustle culture where work & making money were the priorities, it's not surprising that many Baby Boomers find themselves struggling to assert their identity outside of the workplace. Their jobs have become their entire personality and identity, especially alongside a loyalty to their employers that sometimes urges them to overwork. However, Gen Z actively shuns the idea of hustle culture, according to University of London professor Oli Mould, and opts for a more balanced relationship with work that prioritizes balance and purpose.
3. Setting boundaries
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Whether it's technological boundaries around screen time or reasserting expectations in a relationship, Gen-Z isn't afraid to set boundaries to define what they're willing to tolerate. On the other hand, Baby Boomers didn't grow up with the same information about boundaries and self-care, so it's not surprising that they're somewhat uncertain about asserting their limits. But the truth is, having and enforcing boundaries is one of the things Gen-Z is right about; according to experts from UC Davis Health, setting boundaries is great for mental & physical health as well as for maintaining healthy relationships.
4. Showing emotion
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Many older generations are uncomfortable with discussions of mental health and have an ingrained belief about 'showing weakness' that urges them to suppress uncomfortable feelings. Those emotions may eventually come out as avoidance or anger, but the truth is that crying and other emotional displays of vulnerability are a sign of strength, not weakness: Gen-Z got that really right.
5. Addressing childhood trauma
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There's no denying that our childhood experiences, both good and bad, have an incredibly profound impact on our adult lives, according to a study from BMC Public Health. When you start to open yourself up to healing energy and have the difficult conversations around your childhood trauma, it's much easier to move forward healthily.
However, especially for Baby Boomers, it's not surprising that this idea is uncomfortable because they were largely raised to be less open to mental health and emotional expression — and often the idea of therapy altogether. However, healing your inner child, going to therapy, having hard conversations with parents about childhood trauma, going no contact when it's needed, and addressing, rather than suppressing, emotions is critical. It's one of the things Gen-Z is right about and prioritizes for their own mental health.
6. Putting just as much effort into friendships as relationships
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According to marriage counselor Shivani Misri Sadhoo, many Gen-Zers have adopted a pragmatic approach to structuring their lives and, more specifically, their relationships. With shifting social norms around settling down and spending habits geared toward experiences, they're much more likely to prioritize their friendships than finding a long-term partner. Whether you're in a marriage or casually dating, putting friendships at the same priority level as a partner isn't an entirely crazy idea; in fact, it's one of the things Gen Z is right about: Research shows that having a strong circle of friends is incredibly beneficial for life satisfaction and happiness.
7. Not being pressured to have kids
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According to a MassMutual study, nearly one-quarter of Gen-Zers have opted out of having children, largely because of financial uncertainty. However, it's not just a money issue when it comes to making this big decision; they're also collectively turning away from blindly following traditional expectations. Most Gen-Zers would prefer to focus on their own personal identity, fulfillment, and goals rather than to blindly settle down with someone, get married, and have kids. While that doesn't mean one path, traditional or not, is inherently right or wrong, choosing not to have kids or get married is perfectly okay — and so is less pressure to do so.
In many cases, it's not only healthier not to have children; according to Pew Research Center studies, it also gives people a chance to truly craft a life they feel secure in before introducing a partner or other people into it. When it comes to having kids, to each to their own.
8. Prioritizing alone time
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Psychiatrist Steven Gans argues that alone time isn't just essential to protect your mental health; it's also necessary to recharge and show up as the best version of yourself. Even for Baby Boomers born into hustle culture, where productivity and a constantly busy schedule seem more acceptable than resting, alone time is clutch. It's one of the things Gen-Z is right about prioritizing in their routines, even if Boomers falsely claim that it's lazy. It's not!
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
