Depending on the definition used, I fall into Generation Y.  However, while I do share some of the traits of a Gen Y, I think that I fit more into a liaison role than a pure generational member.  (For more on the liaison timeframe, be sure to check out Akshay’s post and the discussion that follows in the comments.)

Oddly enough, one of the areas which further cements this belief and makes me feel older than my ostensible peer group is that of work-life balance, the topic of much of my writing.  And the thing is, the feeling doesn’t seem to be going away.

Over the past year or so, I’ve seen the same type of post appear a few times.  People talking about how for Gen Y, work/life balance is different.  They love their work so much that it is what they find fulfilling in their lives.  They don’t need to draw distinctions between work time and personal time, because, hey, work time is fun.

And this isn’t my only source of dissonance.  Many also feel that due to our generation’s tendency to be ever-connected (mobile phones, internet, etc.) and that we’ve grown up working in this interconnected, collaborative, flexible style; that things will not change.  Ever.  That this is the greatest idea ever, we love it now, and even when we’re older, like the Gen Xers and Boomers are now, we’re going to keep doing things just the way we’re doing them now.

I have two problems with this.  One of them is that people feel that they don’t need balance.  I’m the first to admit that finding that equilibrium is a personal thing, with what people do to recharge and relax being whatever works best for them.  Some people like to head out to parties; others like to relax with a book, others still with a small group, and others by working.  Everyone will have a different method of relaxing.

So if I don’t have a problem with people saying that they find their work completely fulfilling and they don’t need or want to do anything else, what is it that bothers me?

The concept that you are focusing all of your energies, thus all of your success or failure, all of your potential legacy, in one area seems remarkably short-sighted to me.  To think that the priority we have now is the way we want to focus all of our energies for the foreseeable (and unforeseeable)

Yes, I understand that multitasking isn’t the path to productivity.  However, having absolutely all of your energy wrapped up in one thing, especially something subject to external factors, seems extremely risky to me.  Not having a source of satisfaction that comes from within or at least from an alternate source puts you in a very tough position should something not go well, or even if something does go well but you decide you want a change.

The second problem comes with the fact that people feel that this is a great way to live now, so it’ll be the great way to live in ten years, fifteen years, or indefinitely.

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be trying to gain as much flexibility as we can (if that’s what we want) or starting our own businesses, or focusing on one thing.  But if there’s one constant that I can accept, it’s change.

Even in stable things, change is a constant.  I realize that as a generation whose oldest members are in their late 20’s, we may not have had a whole lot of varied experience in long term situations, but let’s look around at what we can see.  Is the successful marriage between high school sweethearts exactly the same as it was when they were 17?  Or is it the one where they grew together, and while things changed, they were changing together.

Let’s take it to the business world.  Even looking at 10 years ago, we were in the height of the dot com boom.  Workplaces were changing, adding gourmet cafeterias, pool tables and video games in the break room, and other wonderful perks.  This was supposed to be the forefront of a new paradigm in work, but how many of those companies are still in business?  Even of those companies who have survived, how many of them have stayed exactly the same?

Let’s face it.  Things change.  To assume that what we will want in five or ten years, or even five months, will be exactly what we want now is to ignore that fact.  Sure, there may be things that will stay the same.  We may want some of the same things.  But to say, with surety, that we are the generation who won’t change as we age, well, I don’t think we do ourselves any favours.  It takes a special kind of optimism/arrogance/ignorance to say that we’re completely outside the trends history has shown us.

Now, some people say that they know things are going to change, eventually.  That they want to make their mark, go 120% towards building a business empire for the next 10 years, then step back.  So basically, let’s accelerate at one point, to the exclusion of all else, for 10 years and then completely change direction.  Yes, some will be able to do it.  But how many people will just see the next step of the business, the next level of that sort of success, and then suddenly your 10 year plan becomes 20 or more?

Admitting that change will come down the line, but not preparing for it now just makes that change harder to adjust to.  And without adequate preparation for this future change, we lessen the chance of succeeding in that change.

Now, I’ll admit that this post is different in tone to many of the posts I’ve written here before.  I don’t have a tendency to rant (or at least to publish them) but I did want to post this.  Now, I know some will look at this and say that I’m being too pessimistic, and others might look at this and say that it’s a sign of Gen Y being realistic, and really, either one is fine.  I just hope that this post gives some people a new perspective on some of the comments being made about work/life balance by people in Gen Y, whether you’re Gen Y, Gen X, Boomer, or any other generational label you’d wish to apply.