Generation X: Five Ways to Transform Your Work Life in 2025
Gen X, let’s embrace 2025. #WeDeserveThis
As the Founder of the Gen X Girls Grow Up Facebook community and as a decades-long workplace communications professional who’s experienced a lot of well, interesting, things in companies ranging from big tech and digital health startups to consulting firms and agencies, I think you may find this helpful as we kick off the year.
✓ Communication. Help Gen Z help YOU. Learn some Gen Z slang and Chat acronyms. This can avoid misinterpretations that could lead to missed deadlines and wrong impressions. 30% of Gen X workers admit they have difficulty understanding their millennial and Gen Z coworkers, according to a Preply survey. I’ll never forget the time a particularly dedicated Gen Zer chatted me “GTG” as a client deadline loomed. I thought he meant “Got to go!” — that he was walking out for the day, even though the doc was in his hands! I then realized he meant “Good to go.” The doc was ready; he was committed as always. Phew.
✓ Saving. Up your 401k. So many studies emphasize Gen X retirement woes. Only 17% of Generation X workers are very confident they will be able to fully retire with a comfortable lifestyle (Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies). Log into your 401k and shore up your contributions if you can.
✓ Enjoying. Many of us Gen X women in the workplace, back in the day, didn’t give ourselves permission to find or make time for hobbies and interests. We were schlepping to an office five days a week, often with long commutes and kids to grab from daycare or nannies. It wasn’t until both my sons graduated high school that I somehow found (made?) time for and stuck to pickleball and guitar. “Work Life Balance” was a joke for decades. There was no working from home, online grocery shopping, taking a mental health day (out loud) or leaving for lunchtime yoga.
✓ Boundary-setting. Yes, we can do this! Tied closely to my point above, learn from our Gen Z kids and colleagues on how to say “No” sometimes. We have a personal appointment, a pickup from the dog groomer, a desire to walk around the block. No, we can’t do that dinnertime call for a project that’s not time-sensitive, we’d rather not come to the virtual happy hour because we’d rather catch “NBC Nightly News” while enjoying a green tea or tequila. Refer to — and embrace — the “Enjoy” bullet above!
✓ Forgiving. What’s this doing in a work world post? It’s about being kinder to yourself this year — at and about work. In our twenties, and even in our thirties, a “rah-rah” atmosphere may have sparked more excitement. Acknowledge that you, your priorities, and the times, have changed. Gathering in AOL campus parking lot for keg parties or popping open the champagne during a company acquisition were moments that mattered — and are great memories. Don’t beat yourself up if things feel and hit differently now. After all, we’re Gen X — uniquely resilient and adaptable. 😀
