The rules your grandparents lived by may have suited their time, but many of them no longer apply to the world today. Research from McCrindle and workplace trend reports reveals a stark generational shift: the average Gen Z worker is expected to change jobs 15–17 times over their lifetime, compared to the 4–6 long-term roles typical of Baby Boomers.
These rules still work for Boomers because their lives and the job market they navigated remained relatively stable. To succeed today, it’s essential to recognize how much things have evolved. Relying on outdated advice from previous generations could actually hinder your progress. The differences between generations extend far beyond work preferences, encompassing nearly every aspect of life, from family dynamics to financial strategies. Adapting to the modern landscape is key to achieving success.
Job Loyalty Is Important
Job hopping has become a stepping stone for career advancement, a stark contrast to the approach of Boomers, who rarely left a job without offering two weeks’ notice, unless they were terminated. Today’s employees recognize that staying loyal to one company no longer guarantees job security, financial stability, or steady raises.
In contrast, most Boomers valued hard work and loyalty, trusting it would be rewarded with a secure, lifelong position and a reliable pension plan, ensuring a worry-free retirement.
Life Happens at Work and Work Happens in Life
Boomers kept work and life very separate. Phone calls from home at work were a big no-no, and putting personal photos on your desk was almost unheard of. Sharing personal news or stories with your colleagues was seen as unprofessional and inappropriate.
As a result, work and personal lives were kept entirely separate, with people switching roles and behaviors as soon as they walked out the door at the end of the day. That is a major generational difference, as 60% of global employees say their personal lives are more important than work, according to the 2024 Randstad Workmonitor report. In other words, personal is now prioritized over professional, and work-life balance is considered even more important than pay or perks.
Don’t Discuss Your Pay or Others
Discussions about salaries were a big no-no during the Boomer era, and most employees kept such information strictly to themselves. This unofficial “rule” was a clear advantage for companies and managers who could pay their workers less than deserved without worrying about rumors or employee unrest.
Pay secrecy was good for the company because workers were never in a position to bargain or demand raises from their bosses. In Boomers’ workplaces, most people assumed that their coworkers were earning similar salaries, so they stayed put even if they were underpaid.
Physical Media Is the Best Media
A 2025 cross-generational study found 73% of Baby Boomers still prefer physical newspapers over digital ones, driven by deep emotional connections to tangible media like scratched records, worn books, and printed pages filled with memories.
Regular visits to record shops, bookstores, and photo processing centers were regular parts of Boomers’ lives. They have also trusted physical media more because it cannot be hacked, deleted, or go missing due to system failures and email spam filters.
Own a Home is a Top Priority
Saving for a home down payment used to take Boomers just 18 months on average. Homes also cost less back then, and most could be purchased for only 2.3 times their annual salary.
Buying a home was also one of the best ways to build wealth, with Boomers’ equity in their homes often providing the down payment for their kids’ homes when they bought them. For Millennials and Gen Z, the average home now costs 7.5 times their annual income, and they must save for an average of 12–15 years to afford the down payment in the major cities where they work and want to live.
Always Participate in Your Community
Boomers could trust their neighbors to help raise their kids, so active participation in the community was very important for Boomers’ families. This involvement in their communities also provided a ready support network that could be activated to help families through difficult times or share the celebrations during good times.
Local friendships and support networks have diminished as online entertainment and remote lifestyles have become the norm. According to the Harvard Happiness Lab’s 2025 report on the “Friendship Recession,” teenagers are spending only 40 minutes a day in person with friends outside of school hours, down from 140 minutes a day nearly two decades ago.
Consult with Local Experts
Boomers relied heavily on a small group of trusted local experts, such as their family doctor, bankers, and local businesses. These experts knew their clients personally and provided a level of informed advice based on their long-term relationships rather than cold, transactional interactions.
Younger people don’t build such relationships these days, preferring to trust unknown strangers on the internet for advice on everything from restaurants to medical care. Online reviews are now trusted by 85% of consumers as much as personal recommendations.
Gender Roles Are Clearly Defined
Men were expected to be the sole breadwinners, and women were expected to care for the home and children during the Boomer era. Men were not expected to show emotion in public, and women were expected to be submissive and less educated.
Rigid gender roles were never challenged back then, with most people forced to fit into set roles to succeed. 47.7% of women are now in the global workforce, according to Team Stage. Dual-income households have also become much more common, although women still earn significantly less than men in most countries.
Use the “Tough Love” Parenting Style
Boomers used the “tough love” parenting style, which centers on punishment and obedience to authority. Rules were considered non-negotiable, and arguments or discussions about them were considered a waste of time.
Discipline and rewards were also common for “positive” behavior, although physical punishment was also often used for “positive” behavior that did not meet expectations. Discussion of feelings was often seen as a sign of weakness or a complete waste of time.
College Is Necessary
Higher education was once the primary route to financial security, and the middle class often made sacrifices so that their children could attend university. The Boomer formula for success included getting good grades, graduating, and then finding a stable job with benefits. Most careers that did not require degrees also paid less throughout a lifetime compared to those pursued by college graduates.
That is not the case these days, according to a survey cited by AI with Chris. Only 39% of Gen Z respondents say they will prioritize getting an advanced education. 46% also believe college is not worth the cost, and many high-paying jobs now don’t require a four-year degree.
Get Married Before Having Kids
Dating, engagement, marriage, and then children used to be a life sequence that was so common that deviation from it was met with strong social stigma. Cohabitation before marriage was almost unheard of in most Boomers’ families, and having children outside of wedlock was seen as a source of shame for entire families.
In addition, marriage was considered so important that many people did it even if they were not sure of their partners.
Retire at 65
Retirement at 65 was a predictable, reliable process for Boomers. The system was based on pensions and Social Security benefits that were guaranteed to provide fixed incomes for life and were therefore well understood by Boomers.
But times have changed, with only 17% of early retirees saying that they retired because they felt financially ready, according to a report by Fuchs Financial. The average early retiree now plans to work part-time or do freelance work into their 70s. Some do this due to inadequate retirement savings and pensions, while others have longer life expectancies.
Standardized Schooling Is Effective
Schools were standardized, with every kid sitting in rows and being forced to regurgitate the same information on tests. Teachers delivered the same lectures to each class every day, and the whole system was geared around a rigid curriculum that every child was forced to complete at the same pace, regardless of their interests.
As a result, the educational system was a mass-production line that churned out “graduates” at a set rate. This was a problem for kids who did not fit this standardized mold, with many labeled as troublemakers or slow learners for struggling in school.
No Tech Allowed at the Dinner Table
The dinner table was a special place where everyone gathered to eat in silence and talk. The TV was never turned on, and only phones were answered for emergencies. This provided an opportunity for families to check in with their kids, discuss the day’s events, and bond without outside distractions.
Research by Common Sense Media shows that 47% of families report using mobile phones at the dinner table. That’s a major generational difference that shows the huge impact of digital devices on our lives.
Save Money for a Rainy Day
For Boomers, saving money was a straightforward and effective process. In many cases, simply depositing funds into a bank account was considered sufficient financial planning. Investing in blue-chip stocks provided a reliable path to growing wealth, while purchasing a home and building equity were key components of their financial success.
This approach was effective because the economic conditions of the time favored it. Housing prices were significantly lower, with homes often costing just 2.3 times the average annual income, making homeownership more accessible and a cornerstone of wealth-building.
Divorce Is the Worst Thing that Could Happen
Marriage was a permanent contract that you had to endure, even if you were miserable and unhappily married. Divorce had a significant social stigma that could ruin a person’s reputation forever, and the legal systems often made it difficult and expensive to end a marriage.
Women often had no choice but to stay in abusive or unhappy marriages in most places, as they could not work and support their kids on their own. Attitudes have now changed. According to the Pew Research Center, 70% of both Baby Boomers and Millennials believe the main purpose of marriage is mutual happiness and fulfillment, not just child-rearing.
Don’t Air Your Family’s Dirty Laundry
Boomers never talked about problems like anxiety or depression because those were personal problems that families ignored. Therapy was considered a shameful waste of time, and seeking professional help could damage your family’s reputation permanently.
The prevailing attitude towards mental health issues was to “keep it in the family” and deal with problems without burdening others with them. Talk therapy, mindfulness, and breathing exercises are now key strategies for many people to help them thrive personally and professionally.
Key Takeaway
Personalized learning has become the cornerstone of academic success, replacing the outdated focus on standardized conformity. In finance, active investment strategies have taken precedence over merely saving for a rainy day, offering a more secure path to financial stability.
Regarding relationships, genuine satisfaction now outweighs the notion of simply sustaining a marriage. Mental health is rightly recognized as a critical factor in workplace success. Similarly, strategic career moves are now essential for growth, surpassing the traditional emphasis on unwavering company loyalty.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
We scoured the Internet to see what people had to say about gas station food. If you think the only things available are wrinkled hot dogs of indeterminate age and day-glow slushies, we’ve got great, tasty news for you. Whether it ends up being part of a regular routine or your only resource on a long car trip, we have the food info you need.
Let’s look at 6 gas stations that folks can’t get enough of and see what they have for you to eat.
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
I was in the grocery store the other day, and it hit me—I’m buying the exact same things I always do, but my bill just keeps getting higher. Like, I swear I just blinked, and suddenly eggs are a luxury item. What’s going on?
Inflation, supply-chain delays, and erratic weather conditions have modestly (or, let’s face it, dramatically) pushed the prices of staples ever higher. The USDA reports that food prices climbed an additional 2.9% year over year in May 2025—and that’s after the inflation storm of 2022–2023.
So, if you’ve got room in a pantry, freezer, or even a couple of extra shelves, now might be a good moment to stock up on these staple groceries—before the prices rise later.
