Millennials get a bad rap. We’re seen as lazy, unmotivated, and underachieving compared to older generations and no one seems to want to acknowledge that the system is screwed. Unemployment is high, opportunities are low, and we’ve inherited a far different world than the one our parents and grandparents grew up in. No wonder so many of us are suffering from millennial burnout. If you are too, he’s how to stop the madness and get your life back.
- Take a deep breath. This sounds simple and pointless but it can make all the difference. When you’re constantly hustling to make more money, achieve greater things, and live up to our generation’s high expectations, it can be incredibly overwhelming. Taking a step back from it all every once in a while to truly breathe and release all the tension you’re feeling can really help keep you sane.
- Pick your battles. Sure, having it all sounds great in theory, but is it really even attainable? And if it is, will it be worth it if you’re so stressed and exhausted that you can’t even enjoy it? Probably not. Decide on a handful of goals that truly matter to you and focus on them. It doesn’t matter what your parents or your professors or anyone else are telling you that you need to do—choose the things you care about and develop tunnel vision to shut out the rest of the noise.
- Learn how to say no. Turning down opportunities for the sake of your own mental, emotional, and physical health doesn’t make you rude, lazy, or a bad friend/employee—it makes you one smart cookie. Being able to say no to things that don’t fit into your life practically or just because you don’t want them there is a skill that will serve you well throughout your life.
- Find a good therapist. If you have insurance that covers mental health services or you live near a therapist that works on a sliding scale payment model (you pay what you can afford based on how much money you earn), this is such a positive and important step to take. Having an impartial person to truly listen to how you feel and offer you unbiased feedback is a game-changer.
- Regularly remind yourself of your accomplishments. It’s easy to get bogged down by all the things you haven’t yet achieved but we don’t often take the time to remember and acknowledge all the things we have. Make a list, mental or physical, of all the things you’re proud of yourself for. You might be surprised at just how much you’ve done.
- Be realistic. It’d be great to hop straight into a high-powered job in your chosen career field and be making buku bucks by the end of the year but it’s not likely to happen that way. Slow and steady really does win the race. Believe that if you keep your head down and work hard for what you want, you’ll get there eventually. Expecting to jump straight to the top of the ladder is not only unrealistic, but it’ll also leave you disappointed when it doesn’t happen.
- Take some time to disconnect every now and then. This goes along with the whole “take a deep breath” thing above. We’re the generation of immediate gratification. We’re constantly scrolling down our phones or laptops and digesting information at a crazy speed. Is there any wonder we feel like we’re going crazy sometimes? Stop every once in a while. Whether it’s to go for a run (without your phone) or even to take a power nap, sometimes you just need to shut your brain down for a while. You’ll be thankful you did.
