Ohhh…. what I meant is I give you six months to rejuvenate. In recent conversations with my peers, many of whom belong to Generation X’er and have worked for two to three decades, the common theme always emerged, I need a change from what I am doing today. Despite their robust careers, about nine out of ten of them express a desire to step away and explore a different path. Just about two weeks ago, during a reunion with my classmates, I hadn’t seen most of them for years, two of them, senior leaders, known to be their workaholic tendencies calling the quit. I mean they quit, serving their notice. It came as a surprise for many of us as we always thought they would stay through retirement.
Usually, people who had worked for over two or three decades in the same organizations, holding senior leadership positions, primarily had achieved their objectives and goals, so what’s next for them? I am sure they thought through it properly before they even called the quit. They must have their reasons. This is a normal phase for many of us.
Why the Exhaustion?
For these individuals, their fatigue isn’t born from parenting responsibilities—most have grown children. They’ve balanced demanding careers and family life for years. Now, as their children become more independent, they seek activities that can inspire their lives with a renewed sense of purpose. This isn’t about escaping the corporate world but about shifting away from the rigidity of a 9-to-5 obligation.
Like it or not, Gen X’er, often labeled as hardworking, finds itself at a crossroads. Raised alongside the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers, and having influenced Millennials and the Zoomers, Gen X’er was the first to truly integrate technology into daily life. They are the generations that experienced typewriters, sharing computers, and now owning our own devices. They are the group that has experienced taking public transportation, the minibusses to owning their cars. They are the group that had seen the inception of the first proton saga and now have hybrid electrical cars (soon driverless cars) and many more.
Despite their robust work ethic, Gen Xers are reconsidering their careers. As Ann Kerian, an executive coach, points out in her blog on The Silver Lining, Gen X is self-sufficient and results-oriented. Gone are the days, I remember one of my clients giving their employees 1 month sabbatical after completing 10 years of service. Some gave retirement benefits but most of these perks no longer exist or are in practice in today’s landscape. Like it or not, the hard truth is there is no loyalty between employers and employees in the current landscape not because of the employer per se, but the consideration of the transformation and the multigenerations’ exposure and mindset in the workforce. So, the traditional workplace perks like sabbaticals or retirement benefits are vanishing, thus eroding loyalty between employers and employees.
What’s next?
As they speak to me, I usually make the same statement: I give you three to six months, or at most a year, to rejuvenate. During this time, you might choose to be “lazy,” but this laziness isn’t about physical inactivity. It refers to facing psychological and social challenges, such as struggling to find motivation, developing a productive routine, dealing with anxiety stemming from a lack of engagement in any activities, and possibly losing a sense of identity and purpose.
Therefore, if your health and finances still allow, there are many activities or types of work that can help you overcome this disengagement.
I’m not suggesting you unretire, but rather that you do something more meaningful that eventually gives you a renewed sense of purpose. One of my friends found her passion in the floral business and began to monetize it. Another has dedicated herself to routine fitness, working out three or four times a week. As for me, I enjoy writing, so I channel my passion into writing with a purpose.
So, what is there for you next? There are many, this is not the end of our journey from retiring from the corporate world but time to rejuvenate and find your sense of purpose. At the end of the day, we must stay relevant.
