9 Things Gen Z Calls Having Boundaries That Older Generations See As Just Plain Rude
Flávio Santos | Pexels There's a mental health stigma that often prevents older generations from expressing themselves with vulnerability and the social manners they grew up with can often make setting boundaries difficult.
But many Gen Zers have no problem communicating their boundaries, even though many older people think it's rude.
Things older generations believe are rude that Gen Z calls simple boundaries
1. Not answering every phone call
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In the workplace or at home in their free time, Gen Zers are intentional about who they give their time to. Especially on their phones, unexpected FaceTimes and phone calls are rarely answered, and are more likely to be sent to voicemail for an offline text response.
They're setting boundaries. Yes, they are technically available or might not have any plans busying their time. But they don't allow everyone access to disturb their peace, even if they're doing nothing at that time.
2. Turning down advice from parents
Unsolicited advice from older generations comes across as stressful and invalidating for younger people. Even when it comes from a good place, like a parent trying to protect their children's happiness, hearing someone trying to fix their emotions when they just want to vent can be destructive.
That's why Gen Zers are careful about boundaries in these conversations. They're adamant about expressing their need for support, instead of asking directly for advice. They're not afraid to say "I'm just looking for support right now," even if it comes across as rude to older generations.
3. Leaving work right at 5 p.m.
Gen Zers refuse to work more than they're being paid or compensated for. Compared to older generations who often lived to work and fed into company loyalty by staying late or working on weekends, Gen Zers protect their personal lives and time.
They want purpose and meaning, but they're not overworking themselves at their own expense just to prove they're loyal to their job. Older generations earned their keep and now expect younger peers to do the same, but they're not afraid to set their boundaries.
4. Creating space from people who have hurt them
In their friendships or relationships with family members, Gen Zers are well known for taking space from toxic people. Even if social traditions urge them to tolerate misbehavior from elders in the name of respect, they're operating from a place of self-respect by protecting their own energy and well-being.
For older women socialized into tolerating bad behavior and being agreeable, it's often difficult to understand these kinds of boundaries. Part of their identity is woven into staying quiet about mistreatment, after all.
5. Saying 'no' to family gatherings
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Gen Zers are cutting family ties and taking more space from family members than other generations, partially because they're empowered to set boundaries.
Unwinding mental health stigma isn't just about supporting this generation in seeking support. It's also allowing them to dive into childhood trauma and to create space, rather than tolerating it in new forms over and over again.
It might seem rude to boomers and Gen Xers with incredibly strong family values, but Gen Zers are most commonly known for saying "no" to invitations. It could be family reunions or holiday parties, but they don't tolerate people who don't accept or appreciate them.
6. Calling in sick when they're exhausted
Gen Zers are taking more sick days today than many older generations ever did, and that's likely because of their work-life balance expectations. Now, sick days aren't just for treating illness or going to the doctor, but also for mental health and catching up on life.
Most young people aren't in the business of overworking themselves toward burnout, so they use the time they're entitled to as a means of protecting their well-being.
It often seems rude to older generations who feel like they've earned flexibility and time off from work after decades of staying late and working through illness, but it's truly just a new generation of people protecting themselves. They don't expect people to understand, but they're going to carve out space for what they need.
7. Challenging authority
Gen Zers are much less likely to be agreeable to authority just because of the power or role they have. They're the challenger generation, not just when it comes to social norms and expectations, but also institutional hierarchies.
They make it clear that they're not going to tolerate mistreatment. Their boundaries don't demand that others change, but it does give them the space to say "no" and create space when someone's misusing their power.
8. Saying 'no' to work they don't have time for
For Gen Zers who are less interested in climbing the corporate ladder and proving loyalty to companies, they set boundaries around their workload. If they're at capacity, they're not going to say "yes" to a new project. It's not a lack of work ethic, it's just a distaste for burnout.
But for older generations, who are often in manager and leadership roles, it can come across as rude. They accepted burnout as a normal part of working life and endured long professional careers, taking on more than they could sustainably manage.
Now, it feels like they're not being rewarded, with younger workers setting boundaries that sometimes put more work on their plates to delegate out.
9. Not being constantly available
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Gen Zers turn off work notifications when they leave the office and send family members to voicemail when they don't have the emotional energy to speak on the phone. They're ironically a well-connected generation, but are careful about being available all the time.
Many are even disconnecting from their phones and social media in search of a more mindful life, where they're not distracted by notifications and thrown off guard by unprompted messages from their bosses.
While it might seem rude to older generations who use phone calls as a form of connection, and who share very different expectations of what a good worker looks like, for Gen Z, it's essential.
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.
