Work ethics used to be very different six decades ago. Then, people were meant to work hard at a job,and if they somehow worked hard enough, they would make good money and live a reasonably successful life.

The goal then was to work 9-5 for most days of the week. Just making enough money to support a family, have a car and probably pay off the mortgage.

Holidays weren’t exactly a priority,and if you managed to go on one, you were among the privileged few.

How The New Generation Work

The new generation or Millennial Generation are made up of those born around 1980 to 2000. The Millennial Generation has witnessed a drastic shift in how they both see and understand work, as opposed to the Baby Boomers (people born between 1946 to 1964). The millennial generation have grown up in a different world – one that is vastly inter-connected by the internet. For the millennial generation, information is easy to come by – in fact, it’s only a few fingertips away.

 The Lifestyle Switch

Today, the generational gap is more apparent than ever before. Old ideas are either being completely revamped, while most of them are either archived for the history books or completely ditched. New ideas, concepts and ambition govern this new world of millennials. Millennials are slowly switching away from the culture of studying for a good portion of their youthful lives and accumulating a substantial amount of debt in the process. Presently, most of them would prefer to tap into the immense amount of resources available to them and learn for free. Similarly, they are also wary of investing in properties or businesses that would leave them shackled with a loan that would possibly take them decades to repay.

The society that existed six decades ago seemed to encourage diligent hard work and less connection. The millennial generation is not subscribing to that notion, and they are currently leading the charge for change. Albeit with meaningful progress. Now, there is a wealth of options to choose from – choices that were regarded as luxury six or seven decades ago. Today, people can travel the world, have great adventures and experiences, constantly make new friends and building new relationships, whilst earning a living and working at their convenience.

The Stark Contrast Of Then and Now

In the past, the goal was simple; work your socks off for the bulk of your active life if you wanted any real chance at being successful. Conversely, the millennial generation have refused to tow that line completely. While hard work and dedication are values that are still being preached and encouraged, today’s generation wants to make the best of every second of their existence. The idea that one can travel the world, spend time on the beach, go on vacations, and experience new cultures while still working hard to be successful at the career of their dream appeals more to millennials.

How They Make It Happen

The opportunities to work and explore the world are increasing daily. From programming from a coffee shop to teaching a new language from your sofa to organising social media management and campaigns in a makeshift office in your old garage. The ideas are endless,and they can be done at the person’s convenience and location of their choosing. This makes working, building a career and living your dreams something that happens simultaneously as opposed to serially.

However, the value and quality of work is something that isn’t compromised on. Tasks still have deadlines that should be met and standards that should be upheld. Yet, Millennials are pointing to the fact that working and living need not be separated from one another, as a lot can still be accomplished regardless of location or setting. Here, all that matters is that the work is done, where it is done from, becomes inconsequential.