Friday Forward - Work Life (#514)
Work is not the root cause of all our issues
For most of human history, work was rarely a source of fulfillment.
Even as recently as the twentieth century, the vast majority of workers plowed fields by hand, mined coal in suffocating shafts, stitched clothes in sweatshops, or worked 12-hour days in dangerous factories. During two World Wars, people worked exhausting shifts to support the war effort.
No one expected their work to align with personal passion; it was more of a necessity. And yet, even under those conditions, work itself wasn’t widely seen as the root of emotional struggle. If anything, work gave people structure, identity, and proof that they could do hard things.
Today, in contrast, we have more flexibility, comfort, and autonomy in our jobs than ever before. And yet, we seem more disillusioned by work than ever.
A prime example of this can be found in the United Kingdom, as I’ve heard several times in recent conversations with UK-based leaders. In the UK, a third of adults aged 18 to 24 took time off for stress-related mental-health reasons in the past year. Many of these people are explicitly coached to do this by peers and TikTokers. And in that same 18-24 age bracket, the number of people declared economically inactive due to long-term illness has nearly doubled in recent years.
These aren’t just employment stats. They are signals of something much deeper.
There has been a loud shift in how we talk about work, especially among younger generations. Work is now often portrayed as a problematic source of burnout, anxiety, and trauma. In response to this idea, an entire online narrative consistently reinforces the idea that all discomfort is toxic, and that the only solution is rest. Space. Pulling back. Disengaging.
To be clear, some people are genuinely harmed by toxic workplaces, extreme hours, or unsustainable pressure. But work is not the root cause of every mental health problem.
The notion that long-term withdrawal supports mental health has become culturally popular, but the evidence for it is virtually nonexistent. On the contrary, the research we do have points squarely in the opposite direction. When young adults step away from work because they feel overwhelmed with life, they lose structure, identity, community, and the daily proof that they can do hard things. And it goes without saying that replacing work with doomscrolling or binge watching does not improve anything.
This viewpoint is supported by nearly every major psychological model and backed by long-term research. Momentum improves mental health. Avoidance, even when it feels like relief in the short term, often makes things worse.
Consider how these three factors come into play in our work.
Structure. Daily rhythms like sleep, movement, daylight, and routines are essential to staying regulated. When we disengage from those rhythms, everything from mood to motivation starts to erode. This is one reason extended time off without purpose often leaves us feeling worse, not better. Staying up late, waking up late and lounging all day does not make us healthier.
Agency. A sense of personal control is one of the strongest predictors of resilience. But avoidance does not create agency; agency comes from doing hard things to prove we can. Getting out of bed, showing up, finishing tasks. These small acts reinforce our belief that we have control over our lives.
Meaning. We thrive when we feel useful and are contributing to something beyond ourselves, even in small ways. Meaning is a powerful antidote to despair.
This is why I believe we may have the equation backwards. Work, in the right form, isn’t always the problem. In an increasing number of cases, the absence of work, particularly meaningful work, may be the root of many mental health issues.
I want to be very clear: this is not a call for everyone to hustle more, or to work through serious illness. Diagnosed mental health issues need real support, and some people genuinely do need time off to heal. But we have also created a world so quick to label all stress as harm that it has become almost impossible to distinguish between the two. Moreover, it’s reached the point where saying the obvious out loud feels almost taboo.
Just as muscles need resistance to grow, our minds must face and overcome setbacks to develop resilience. If we encourage people to hide from adversity, as a generation of parenting has done, we shouldn’t be surprised when people can’t handle the normal ups and downs of life.
Across time, cultures, and clinical approaches, the things that help most people get better are remarkably consistent: structure, agency, and meaning. And for many, the best place to start finding those things again is work.
Quote of The Week
“Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.” – Anne Frank
Have a great weekend!
-Bob
robertglazer.com
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I love this framing! After a vacation type of stretch, I am eager to get to back because of its source of meaning and agency that is often provides me, thanks for this!
I agree work itself is not the problem, it's the environment. This isn't a new thought. I believe most people (across generations) are well aware of the burnout culture overtaking corporate roles.
What's the solution to this backwards equation? Do you have any ideas so resolve the toxic work environment Boomers and Gen X have created and further facilitated?
You present your thoughts like it's some sort of genius revelation. Almost like you invented sliced bread or something. That said, your blog post is lacking in details to support your argument and factual evidence (no peer-reviewed sources?).
You've succeeded at stating a well-known problem. How do you suggest we move forward? How do we support Gen Z to thrive versus putting them down for their personal struggles?