Microstresses are leaving eight in ten Generation Z’ers feeling overwhelmed and suffering from burn out.
A build-up of worries, from over analysing text messages, putting off jobs or feeling anxious about attending Christmas parties are taking their toll on under-26-year-olds, according to research.
And as the festive season begins, findings show over half (56%) of young people consider it to be one of the most stressful times of the year – with the sharp rise in social commitments leaving 45% feeling anxious.
Few are aware of how small day-to-day ‘microstressors’ can accumulate to damage a person’s wellbeing.
Gen Z are more likely than most to be affected by small triggers, such as noticing a shift in a friend’s text tone or endlessly procrastinating.
Results of a new study of 1500 adults conducted by Extra Gum, reveal that almost three quarters (71%) of Gen Z experience microstress on a daily basis, including wasting time (51%), procrastination (49%), being late (48%) and anxiety about performance (48%).
Although meditation is recommended as a way of de-stressing, two thirds of Gen Z (60%) wish they meditated more, over a third (39%) struggle to find the time, a third (34%) don’t know where to start and one in four don’t find meditation accessible.
The top Gen Z tactics to declutter their minds are to listen to music, (51%) chew gum (41%), sleep (41%) carve out ‘me time’ (37%) or going for a walk (33%). The biggest obstacle was found to be not sleeping enough – for 53%.
TikTok star Max Balegde has launched a guided meditation series that brings a lighter side to a serious subject matter. It aims to help those who struggle with microstress to spend a simple few minutes to recalibrate.
“Being so immersed in today’s social media scene is beyond challenging – every word and move you make really counts and sometimes I find myself overthinking and my mind running away with me,” said Balegde, 24.
“I’m not really one for meditation and if I’m honest, it’s tough to find the time to take a breath. But by bringing a little bit of fun and humour to meditation, I’ve found my mind really relaxes into it.”
Extra’s Lucy Sherlock added: “Our research highlights just how much Gen Z experience microstressors in their day-to-day life but that they don’t prioritise time to themselves to ensure these worries don’t compound and take a longer-term toll.”
Join Max Balegde on his journey to meditation on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.