There’s something charming about how each generation clings to its habits—especially when they swear those habits are timeless. But ask any millennial or Gen Z adult, and they’ll tell you: not all traditions age gracefully.
In fact, some of the behaviors boomers proudly defend can feel draining, outdated, or just plain out of touch to younger generations trying to navigate a vastly different world.
Let’s dive into ten such habits—quirks and customs boomers might still champion, but which many younger people find exhausting, and sometimes even baffling.
1. Praising “hustle culture” like it’s a badge of honor
Boomers often equate long hours and relentless work with success. For many of them, pulling 60-hour weeks wasn’t just common—it was expected. But for millennials and Gen Z, this relentless grind feels more like a fast track to burnout than a path to purpose.
Younger generations are far more vocal about setting boundaries, prioritizing mental health, and challenging the idea that your worth is tied to how much you work. The idea of glorifying “no days off” can feel tone-deaf to those trying to avoid the very burnout boomers often wear like a medal.
2. Using voicemail like it’s still 1998
Nothing sends a wave of dread through a millennial or Gen Z faster than a missed call and a voicemail.
Boomers still leave detailed voice messages—sometimes several minutes long—while younger people view voicemails as an outdated relic in the age of text, WhatsApp, and voice notes. The preference now is for short, direct communication that doesn’t require dialing into a voicemail box or decoding a garbled audio file.
3. Pushing “face time” over flexibility
To boomers, being physically present—at work, at meetings, or in the office—is synonymous with being productive and committed. Many still cling to the belief that if you’re not seen, you’re not working.
But post-pandemic, younger workers know better. Productivity doesn’t live in fluorescent-lit cubicles. In fact, many millennials and Gen Z thrive in flexible environments, where results matter more than rigid schedules. For them, being forced to “show face” can feel performative and unnecessary.
4. Romanticizing the good old days (that weren’t that great)
Every generation indulges in nostalgia, but boomers take it to another level. How many times have you heard, “Back in my day…” followed by a rant about how everything was better?
Younger people see this as dismissive of modern struggles—from housing affordability to climate anxiety to skyrocketing student debt. The truth is, the world has changed dramatically, and the “good old days” often excluded large swaths of people from opportunity and equality. For millennials and Gen Z, this kind of nostalgia can feel disconnected at best and condescending at worst.
5. Using Facebook like it’s the internet
Boomers love Facebook—for staying in touch, sharing updates, forwarding memes, and posting lengthy rants. But for younger generations, Facebook is the digital equivalent of a dusty old photo album—occasionally interesting, but mostly abandoned.
To Gen Z, social media means TikTok, Instagram, or Snapchat. Facebook is where their parents (or grandparents) post low-resolution vacation albums and “copy-paste if you agree” chain posts. The generational gap in social media use isn’t just stylistic—it’s cultural.
6. Sticking to paper for everything
Printed maps. Paper bills. Fax machines. Boomers are more likely to cling to paper-based systems, even when digital tools are faster, greener, and easier to use.
For younger generations raised on smartphones and cloud storage, being asked to “print this out and sign it” feels not only inconvenient but inefficient. What boomers might view as “tried and true,” others see as outdated and unnecessarily slow.
7. Over-committing to politeness (even when it’s performative)
Boomers often value manners and civility to a fault—saying yes when they mean no, avoiding conflict at all costs, and sugarcoating uncomfortable truths.
Millennials and Gen Z, by contrast, tend to value authenticity over pleasantries. They’d rather have an honest, awkward conversation than tiptoe around feelings with forced smiles and passive-aggressive niceties. While respect is still important, performative politeness often comes off as inauthentic and emotionally exhausting.
8. Shaming therapy or emotional vulnerability
Many boomers grew up in a culture that stigmatized mental health. Therapy was for “crazy people,” and talking about your feelings was seen as weak or self-indulgent.
That stigma is breaking down—largely thanks to younger generations who openly discuss anxiety, depression, trauma, and the importance of emotional well-being. For them, vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s strength. But when boomers respond with eye-rolls or dismissiveness, it only reinforces the gap.
9. Making phone calls… for everything
From booking a haircut to confirming a lunch date, boomers often prefer calling over texting. To them, it’s faster, more personal, and more direct.
But to younger generations, unsolicited phone calls—especially when a quick text would suffice—can feel intrusive and anxiety-inducing. The phrase “this could’ve been a text” exists for a reason. For millennials and Gen Z, asynchronous communication allows for boundaries, thoughtfulness, and efficiency. A phone call, by contrast, demands real-time attention and often derails multitasking.
10. Defining success in narrow terms
Boomers were raised with a formula: Go to college, get a job, buy a house, retire with a pension. For many, this traditional pathway equals success.
But the world has changed. Homeownership is out of reach for many. Careers are no longer linear. Side hustles, freelancing, gig work, digital entrepreneurship, and even minimalism are valid lifestyle choices for younger generations.
When boomers measure younger people’s success using an outdated yardstick, it invalidates the creativity, resilience, and adaptability that define modern adulthood. It’s not that younger people are “failing”—they’re just playing a different game.
Final Thoughts: It’s not about disrespect—it’s about relevance
Let’s be clear: This isn’t about mocking boomers or suggesting their habits have no value. Every generation has its quirks, and many of these habits were genuinely useful in their time.
But when traditions become inflexible or blind to changing realities, they start to lose relevance. What’s seen as “respectful” or “efficient” in one generation may be experienced as “exhausting” or “performative” in another.
The healthiest way forward? Curiosity and humility—on all sides. Boomers who stay open to new ways of thinking are often the ones who build the strongest bridges across generations. And younger people who show patience and appreciation for the past, even while forging their own path, help preserve what truly matters.
Respect isn’t about clinging to the past—it’s about listening, learning, and growing. Together.
