Many young adults find themselves anxious about the quality and direction of their lives in their twenties and early thirties. From rumination over finding a soul mate to fears that they’re in the wrong career, 18–30 year olds frequently report restlessness and angst over their financial, private and professional situations which is further fuelled by social media. This phenomenon has come to be known as a quarter life crisis (QLC), a spin on the mid-life crisis middle aged men stereotypically go through associated with sports cars and leather jackets. One study by the First Direct Bank polled two thousand 25–35 year old Brits on whether they had been through a QLC. Their findings? 6 in 10 of Millennials surveyed had experienced a quarter life crisis, with financial concerns being ranked as the predominant cause. Worries about gaining a leg on the property ladder and being in the right relationship also featured highly.
LinkedIn (a familiar place for the career anxious twenty something) also conducted research on the topic, revealing that 75% of 25–33 year olds have experienced a quarter-life crisis, with the average age being 27. The number one cause of the crisis in this study were fears around finding the right career. Whilst there is no panacea, here are a few tips that have helped me navigate my own crisis, and to reframe it as an opportunity for growth and a call to change.
Seek Support
Speak to those around you about career and relationship fears; one thing that surprised me is how many 20-somethings share these feelings. Around 75% of young adults identify as having had a QLC, so the chances of your colleagues and friends relating to these struggles is high. As well as talking about these issues, writing about them can be therapeutic too. I have found real solace in writing about and articulating the struggles of my own generation. Moreover, in sharing these problems with friends and family you can also suggest and hear solutions; my friends were instrumental in pushing me to create a blog.
Work A Side Hustle And Have An Outlet
If you’re dissatisfied with your career right now and can afford to make the switch, then do so. Likewise, if you can find an unpaid internship and support yourself through it then don’t waste another second. But if like many you are currently in a stop gap role to stay afloat, then it is important to source the meaning and fulfilment that work may be lacking elsewhere. Start a side hustle or indulge a passion to channel your creativity (and build a portfolio). What’s more, work will be far more bearable if you have a project or a hobby to keep you stimulated and look forward to at the end of the day. Be careful not to burn out however, and make sure not to neglect self care or work life balance. Try to find a project that furthers you but that you enjoy also.
Figure Out Your Raison D’être (And Then Write Down Your Goals)
Many people chase a career that pleases everyone but themselves; their friends are impressed, their parents are proud and their teachers applaud, but the person doing the job feels like they betray themselves everyday they go to work. Sit down and channel out other people’s expectations and wishes; what do you want to do for a living? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Establish what your raison d’être is and then form goals around it. At the end of the day, we spend a lot of our life at work and therefore should look forward to it, not dread every week.
Our generation differs dramatically from those before us in how we view work, and for the better. No longer are we willing to see work as a means to an end, on the contrary, we want intrinsically meaningful careers; 61%of those surveyed in the LinkedIn study ranked “finding a job or career they’re passionate about” as the number one cause of a quarter life crisis. Despite this desire, stories abound of people who are externally successful but internally unfulfilled; how many of those pursued careers others chose for them? I’m inclined to think a lot. If you’re in finance but at heart you’re a creative, then consider ways to harness that inclination and make a living from it. 20 is an age where you generally have no obligations beyond yourself so it’s a time to be bold and selfish.
Stop Comparing
The LinkedIn study mentioned found that one of the main drivers for quarter life anxiety in young adults was that they were “comparing themselves to their more successful friends. Nearly half (48%) say this has caused them anxiety, with women feeling this even more than men (51% vs. 41%).” Many see their 20’s as an inherently competitive time making it easy to fall prey to a comparison culture. To avoid this, limit your time on social media and stop focussing on how well others are doing relative to yourself; others’ success isn’t your failure.
Moreover, define what success looks like for you, set goals and focus on achieving it with a tunnel vision that excludes others achievements. In addition, remember that your success will look different to another, as will the timeline, and that if research is to be believed, many of those who are externally successful are probably in a rut too. Spending your life looking at what’s on everyone else’s plate will mean you will never enjoy what’s on your own.
Think Beyond Your Degree
If you graduated in a subject that doesn’t have great career prospects, don’t despair; many young professionals succeed in spite of their degree, not because of it. Furthermore, even if you studied something which doesn’t have a direct corresponding career path, it doesn’t mean you can’t brand yourself for other roles by highlighting transferable skills. Lastly, you’re not a finished product and learning doesn’t have to end when university does; if you want to take a new path but are underqualified, read up on it and self educate. Employers will admire that self sufficiency and motivation.
Change Your Perspective
A shift in perspective can really help us get through a quarter life crisis and see it as something beneficial. Although a QLC is uncomfortable and confusing, it is an opportunity for growth and a call for change. Embrace it! As psychologist Dr Oliver Robinson notes: “People may find old habits and coping mechanisms no longer help in the way they used to, and this can act as a spur to explore new ideas, new activities and new ways of overcoming life’s challenges.” You are young, you have time on your side and it’s better to make a career pivot now rather than later. This sudden angst regarding love and livelihood might well be the beginning of a new and fulfilling career; don’t ignore it.
Written by Ross Carver-Carter
Ross Carver-Carter is a Politics and International Relations graduate with a passion for promoting mental health literacy in the workplace and beyond. He has written extensively on wellbeing and the reality of living with a mental health disorder.
