I read an article recently that claimed that millennials are prioritizing work over sex.
The article discussed the shift in self-employment since 2000 and of those millennials stepping into the entrepreneur realm, almost 63% of them believed that building a business and the reward that comes with that, was better than having sex. And not just better, but they were willing to sacrifice it.
The article quoted: “The fact that millennials are willing to put their sex life on the backseat to start up and run their own businesses illustrates the intense dedication of the modern entrepreneur.”
This didn’t just get me thinking about how I live my life, but that of our generation. A generation that values work-life integration, yet for some reason are still struggling to find it.
We know millennials are driven to achieve and succeed in life but are we doing ourselves a disservice because we are not prioritizing the things in life that can bring more fulfillment, wellbeing, and joy? Sex and relationships are part of that.
Is the problem because we’re not taught how to manage our competing schedules or have fallen trap to societal pressure and ideals? Or, is it because we are making decisions based on an “either-or” approach, rather than understanding that we can do what we want if we find the right balance.
One of the alarming problems with the “sacrificial approach” to work and building a business, is how it affects our mental health and wellbeing. And how we as a generation may be making choices and decisions that go against supporting our health and wellbeing, and the things that matter to us. Internationally or not.
Now going back to the above quote, I disagree that this is a matter of “the intense dedication of the modern entrepreneur” but rather a failure to find balance. Which comes back to us: and where the responsibility sits.
As a generation, we need to be taking time to determine what makes us happy, what enhances our wellbeing and prioritizing that. If that’s building a business and working excessive hours, great. But if it’s not, and we’re making decisions that push us, and our wellbeing, into the ground, then we need to stop and take a look at the choices we’re making.
We are in a world where we don’t have to continue to operate in old paradigms of working to the bone to “get ahead” or for success. Success should be defined as living a life of authenticity - with includes honoring our wellbeing (sex included).