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8 Highly Unproductive Millennial Habits (That You Can Change!)

According to professionals, Gen Y (also known as millennials) are the most stressed generation found in society today. Many millennial find themselves lying awake at night, suffering from anxiety attacks, and feeling overly fatigued on a regular basis.

While many of the things that cause millennial stress can’t necessarily be helped, there are a few highly unproductive habits that you, if you are a millennial, can curb in an attempt to reduce stress and be more productive.

Skipping breakfast.

With school and work starting early, and most millennial never seeming to get enough sleep, it’s common that this ever-busy group of people miss their morning meal.

Instead, they grab an apple or granola bar on the way out the door. Maybe they even skip food altogether and instead opt to grab a coffee. This, although commonplace, is detrimental and unproductive.It sets the body up for being tired and the mind for being unfocused.

Sitting too long.

Many jobs require the worker to sit for hours at a time. We understand that this is required in this case, but it is considered to be one of the many things slowing millennials down.

Professionals have linked sitting for extended periods of time with more than just aches and pains; they have also found links to increased anxiety.

Taking work home.

Many millennial are guilty of never really “clocking out”. By this we mean that much of this generation of professionals is always working or thinking about work.

This, even though it’s possible to go to the gym while planning your speech for the next day, doesn’t allow for the person to relax fully. This can bog the mind down and cause anxiety, fatigue, and general mental overload.

Too much “Netflix and chill”.

It’s easy to think that Netflix and a night of relaxing is a great way to unwind, but it’s actually been found that watching more than two hours of TV at a time can cause an increase in negative moods.

In other words, millennial who binge their favorite shows on the weekend could easily fall victim to mild depression.

Being too connected with social media.

Social media is a good thing. It connects long lost friends and relatives, and can help businesses flourish – but it can also be a problem for young professionals.

Millennials, according to many researchers, using their phones and social media more than any other age group. Like watching too much TV, using social media too much can cause anxiety problems.

Staying up later than recommended.

Most healthy adults need 7-8 hours of sleep a night, with a handful being exceptions to the rule. Those who have stable jobs, however, should always try to get at least 7 hours in order to function properly at work.

Millennials, like the generation that comes after them, are prone to staying up too late finishing work, watching TV, or browsing the internet.

How millennials are changing the way we view leadership

Millennials are becoming the biggest employee demographic and they are already becoming a huge influence shaping the future of employment.

How will it change?

The change that we will notice the most about leadership is the way we approach and view it. What we expect today in leadership is a manger who does not make demands but who directs. The days are gone now when the boss is sitting in an office away from his or her employees dictating roles etc. Millennials like to be called ‘leader’ now instead of the ‘boss.’

They also want direct communication with leadership teams, from their manager up to the top person in the company. They believe that all employees in the company should be accessible regardless of how senior their role is. This builds trust, dedication and loyalty in Millennial employees.

As they are leaders in the company they value open workplaces and they want to create a one where everybody has the opportunity to have their opinion regardless of their tile or position in the company. Millenial leadership will consult with managers, peers etc before they make a decision.

How can companies help?

Companies can help Millennials grow as leaders by teaching them as much as they can, whether they are in management position or working their way up to one. It is important to give them the chance to lead, begin small and if they are proving they can handle the responsibility, be sure to give them more. They need more direction than past generations but if they get the right support they can become valuable employees to a company.

If you want to lead and manage Millennials you have to make them earn it; it’s all about showing them how to get there. Give them manageable goals and praise them when they are achieved. If you provide them with goals to work towards it will give them a better understanding about their role. Their work is important to them and they want to be assured that it matters.

Try to keep Millennials in one company for longer to invest in their training. Millennialls can sometimes see jobs as places to grow and learn rather than to stay there for a long period of time. Provide them with opportunities to learn within the company and this way they will think long term.

Millennials can sometimes want to impress managers etc so they don’t always ask for help or advice when they need it, as they think they will be viewed as unqualified. They are always up for a challenge and it is important to give them instructions but also to let them figure things out on their own.

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Millennials mixing old and new

Discussions about millennials range from their diversity, lack of concentration and inability to conform to the norm and ingenuity. It can get a little confusing sometimes. Some see these points as either positive or negative. What should be done with millennials energy and drive is to combine it with some other generational thinking and give them the grounding that they sometimes miss. A great example of this is how millennials outsource a lot of work rather than take it upon themselves to begin and end a project, sometimes it is easier to find someone else to do it.

The lack of motivation or will to stay working on a project through rough periods is definitely an area of the millennial generation that needs to be addressed. Here we are going to look at some methods and ways to grow millennial awareness and how some older generational thinking can benefit this generation.

Create a work ethic:

Rather than outsource every job and task that doesn’t fit your overall career ideas or personal plans. Start and complete a task that is otherwise unrelated to your fields. For example, fix a leaky pipe and don’t rely on sprinkler repair henderson nv. It will help stimulate your mind and avoid burn out from repeating the same steps day in and day out, having another area to focus a portion of your energy will help diversify your abilities and what experience you can bring to new roles.

Find a hobby:

Like doing new random tasks, find a hobby outside of your comfort zone. It’s a great way to expose yourself just a little, giving you a positive outlook on how far you can push yourself and step into new situations without help. You will learn new skills, have fun and network which is always great for your business and personal life.

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Sense of ownership:

If you are constantly working for somebody else you may not feel a connection between yourself and the result. You are simply complying to company policy and working towards someone else’s goal, if you create your own tasks and goals I guarantee it will create a sense of ownership over something that you have helped create. It might also increase your understating of induvial people’s passions in certain projects and situations. A sense of ownership is a great source of pride and is a very positive attribute for many people as it shows determination and passion.

Focus:

Rather than trying to complete ten half tasks, focus on one at a time. Turn off your social media channels and engage in the projects at hand. In the millennial era, it is easy to get distracted by the buzzing in our pocket, the new tweets or latest meme. If you get distracted like this for to long, you will never complete assignments to the fullest of your ability and this will show in your work and studies.

Although the millennial era gets its fair share of critics, history shows each new generation suffers this same period. It is up to you to prove them wrong.

Here’s How Your Brand Can Connect with Millennials More Effectively

Although millennials are arguably one of the most misunderstood generation, they are also today’s most sought after segment of consumers. If you want your brand to connect with millennials more effectively, perform the following strategies:

  1. Recognize their intelligence.

The worst thing that you could do is to dumb down your message. It is important to recognize their intelligence, so it is recommended to present valuable information in a fast-paced manner such as in social media. Moreover, because they are goal setters, doing so can also make them feel like they are advancing towards their objectives.

  1. Add some quirkiness or playfulness in the content that you create.

If the boomers are anti-establishment, millennials are a combination of quirky and earnest. This is apparent in the popularity of kittens and puppy memes. If you want to connect with them, you need to adapt to their goofiness by including playfulness in your brand voice. However, it is important to note that you should be genuine about it because they value authenticity.

  1. Give them a chance to engage with your brand through social media.

As you probably already know, millennials spend a significant amount of time on social media, and what’s great about this is that they also use it to interact with various brands. They tend to share their opinions on this type of sites about the things that they strongly like or hate. If you want to connect with millennials effectively, it is important to provide them with content that they would want to share, and ask them questions to keep the conversation going.

However, it is important to keep in mind that engaging with this generation through social networking sites should not be regarded as purely a way of driving traffic to your official business website, nor is it only for making quick sales. What your main focus should be is to provide relevant and meaningful content that will keep your target market engaged and establish strong genuine relationships with them.

  1. Make your content more flexible.

Studies suggest that millennials tend to switch their attention between multiple devices for over 27 times per hour. With this, it is necessary to make sure that you can grab their fleeting attention in all online channels imaginable.

For instance, your content marketing strategy must include a tweet that millennials can read as they wait for their order at a restaurant, a Top-10 list that they can read while commuting to their office, or a longer article or video that they can view during their break time.

Final Thoughts

Always remember that each generation is unique. With this, you need to always be ready to tweak your marketing strategy to be able to connect with a new generation more effectively. The ideas presented in this article are just some of our most highly-recommended approaches. What are some other tips that you can share?

Understanding the Millennial Consumer

Millennials have a significant influence and serve as trendsetters in various industries, ranging from food to fashion. With this, businesses find the need to compete for millennial mindshare to have a competitive advantage.

However, these businesses somehow find it challenging to grab the attention and connect with millennials. Time and again, it is proven that the traditional approaches in marketing, sales, and advertising do not work for this generation.

Aside from this inability to establish a solid relationship with them, a lot of companies also make the mistake of believing in what we can say “myths” about this generation. One example of these common misconceptions is that millennials are not loyal to a brand.

So to understand the millennial consumer, a research study was conducted on 1,300 millennials from the database of Elite Daily. Here are the most interesting findings:

  • Advertising doesn’t have a significant influence on millennials. Only 1 percent of the participants of the survey report that an attractive advertisement would entice them into trusting a brand more. Moreover, the study shows that this generation is not convinced of the authenticity of advertisements, which is why they tend to frequently skip ads and avoid banner ads on news sites and Facebook.
  • The millennial consumer would prefer to purchase a car and rent a house. Out of the participants surveyed, 71% responded that they would rather buy a car instead of renting it, and 59% would choose to lease a house instead of purchasing one. Moreover, 61% admit that they can’t afford to buy a home.

A substantial number of millennials still live with their parents, are underemployed, and are still paying for their student loan. As millennials are getting married, having kids, and are getting better paying jobs later in life, this generation tends to put off purchasing their own house. Instead of being cheaper, a car is also perceived to be necessary for them to get around.

  • Out of all the participants, 33 percent review blogs before making a purchasing decision, while only 3% rely on magazines, television news, and books. While older consumers depend on traditional forms of media, this generation use social media sites to obtain information on what’s going on. Furthermore, they trust content that is produced by their peers.
  • Millennials value authenticity compared to content. When reading news, 43% of the participants consider authenticity as more important than content. In addition, they need to trust a website or company first before they would even consider consuming their content. Blogs must be authentic to appeal to millennials, and this generation connects more effectively with people than logos.
  • They are interested to engage with brands on social media sites. The study revealed that 62% of millennials surveyed stated that they will tend to become a loyal customer if a brand engages with them through these sites.
  • The results of the research indicate that millennials want to co-create products and services with businesses. A considerable 42% want to get involved with the development of companies’ future offerings. Those which allow millennials to take part or have a say in the process of product development will likely to be more competitive and preferred by millennials.
  • Millennials use multiple devices, with 87% of the participants stating that they use around two to three tech devices daily. Moreover, 39% are likely to buy a tablet in the next half a decade, while 30% are planning to purchase a wearable device. If you want your brand to stay relevant in this consumer world dominated by millennials, it would be a great idea to engage them with new platforms as they are launched. For example, an app that runs on smartwatches could be a sound long-term investment that could engage millennials.
  • Contrary to common belief, millennials are actually brand loyal, with 60% of the participants saying that they are often or always loyal to certain brands that they currently use. Hence, it would be awesome to establish a solid relationship with this generation sooner, because they will likely to stay loyal to your brand and purchase your products even as they grow older.
  • Millennials expect companies to give back to society, as a whopping 75% of the participants stated that they are sick of corporate greed and that it is important for brands to give back. Furthermore, they prefer companies that provide support to local communities in one way or another.

With all the information shared in this article, we hope you’ll be able to understand the millennial consumer much better. By keeping these things in mind, you will surely be able to develop better strategies for your business, or simply connect with this generation more effectively.

Tips in Effectively Managing Millennials at Work

Although millennials are among the most educated compared to other previous generations, they are also known as job-hoppers and remain a mystery to business leaders. In this article, we will discuss how you can effectively manage millennials at work, as well as how to motivate and keep them engaged.

Tip #1 Explain the vision of your company.

If you can manage to explain the bigger overall picture, then it connects the meaning to the millennial worker. The thing about this generation is that they are more likely to look for meaning and impact when it comes to their jobs.

Millennials are not just satisfied with simply punching a clock and getting paid. They are the kind of employees who want to have a clear sense of purpose, and therefore, you should help them understand their part in the organization by explaining your company vision. Doing so does not only make them feel that they are valued, but can also improve their productivity.

Tip #2 Allow them to have more flexibility.

When it comes to millennials, one of the primary drivers of employee retention is work-life balance. Being required to sit at a desk for the whole day does not appeal to millennials. Good thing, there are now more innovative ways of working.

They are not called Digital Natives for no reason—millennials are a tech-savvy generation. This means that they can work from anywhere and at any time as long as they have a stable internet connection. According to a recent study by the Griffith Insurance Education Foundation, employees from this generation are willing to sacrifice salary for more vacation time and the chance to work outside the office. Some of the ways by which you can offer this to your employees include increasing vacation time, allowing them to have a more flexible schedule, and occasional telecommuting.

Tip #3 Constantly provide constructive feedback and motivation.

Millennials respond well to motivation and feedback, and they need to know that they are being noticed. Aside from supportive feedback, simply saying “congratulations” or “thank you” can make a significant difference in keeping them engaged. An additional advice is to keep an open communication and let them know if they are doing well and teach them how they can become better.

Tip #4 Offer professional development.

Millennials are hungry for growth and development. With this, if you want to retain them and manage them more effectively, you should offer professional development. You can do this by training them, sending them to leadership conferences, or bringing in speakers to help them learn more and hone their skills.

Final Thoughts

These are just some of the most basic tips on how you can manage your millennial employees more effectively and keep them engaged. Millennials only seem difficult to handle because you don’t find the time to try to understand them. We hope this article sheds some light on millennial workers, including how you could win their trust and make them valuable assets of your company.

Here’s How Millennials are Shaping the Food Industry

Millennials love food, as evident by the growing popularity of food blogs and food-related videos. For this generation, food is much more than a basic necessity for survival—it is a way of self-expression, and eating is an enjoyable activity.

For millennials, it is trendy to be a passionate foodie. Moreover, they are willing to spend significant amounts of money to have an awesome food experience. In this article, we will take a closer look at how the millennial generation eats, as well as how millennials are transforming the food industry.

  1. Millennials prefer communal tables.

Whether they are out with friends or hosting a party at home, millennials prefer eating with company. Because they consider eating as a social activity, a lot of restaurants are considering communal dining when developing a plan for the restaurant seating.

  1. This generation values customizability.

Because millennials want to have things their way, they prefer restaurants which offer a certain degree of customization when it comes to their offerings.

Restaurants adapt to this new trend by having highly customizable menu options and experimenting with other means by which they can offer customization and appeal to millennials. For instance, Pizza Hut already has a customizable pizza program.

  1. Millennials like to have new food experiences.

Millennials are generally adventurous when it comes to food. Because of their willingness to try new artisanal flavours, food trucks have become more and more common nowadays. These food trucks offer people the chance to try out new types of food or classic food with a twist in a casual social setting.

  1. They prefer healthy and environmentally friendly options.

Another positive characteristic that millennials typically possess is their concern for the environment and their personal health. What’s more is that they are ready to spend more money on food items that are not only healthier, but also taste better. Because of this, certified organic products are gaining traction in the food industry.

So there you have it, the new trends in the food and behaviour industry driven by millennials. While some may argue that the things mentioned in this article may not necessarily be true for all millennials, one thing is for sure—the most important thing is the quality of food.

According to research, about 60 percent of millennials believe that great food is the most vital factor to consider when choosing a restaurant. With this, if you have a restaurant business, you should never serve sub-par food if you want attract more millennials.

Who are the Millennials?

The term “millennials” is coined by Neil Howe and William Strauss who wrote the 1991 book Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069. Howe and Strauss are among the first ones to consider the idea that people who grew up at a certain time period share similar traits, behaviors, beliefs, values, and perceptions.

What is the Millennial Generation?

Millennials are the demographic group composed of individuals that are born between 1982 and 2004, according to Howe and Strauss. They are the generation that immediately follows the Generation X.

However, the Time magazine asserts that millennials are born between 1980 to 2000, while the New York Times reported in two separate articles that this generation consists of individuals born between 1976-1990 and 1978-1998. There are many other proposed years when millennials are born, but overall, the earliest proposed year is 1976 and the latest is 2004.

What are the Other Terms That Refer to the Millennial Generation?

Aside from the term “millennials”, there are also other names that refer to people who were born between the abovementioned time periods. Some of these terms include:

  • Generation Y or Gen Y
  • Digital Natives- because millennials are the first generation who are accustomed to the life with personal technological devices and internet.
  • Echo boomers- They are the kids of Boomers and they make up the biggest generation since their parents.

Final Notes About Millennials

As mentioned earlier, this generation grew up in an increasingly techy and connected world. At present, millennials are the ones who receive the most marketing attention.

Compared to other generations, millennials are more optimistic and confident. However, some argue that in some cases, this confidence turns into narcissism and feelings of entitlement. Furthermore, they are also known for frequent job hopping—moving from one job to another to see what works better for them—as opposed to members of older generations who tend to stay in one company for an extended period of time.

4 Generation Y Traits You Should Know About Before Hiring Them

Generation Y has been accused of many things – both good and bad. They are called entitled, selfish, demanding, lazy, and self-obsessed. They have also been called innovative, open-minded, and charitable. So, what do you need to know about them before you hire them as employees?

Gen Y is connected

They know everything about social media and how to use it to their advantage. If you are not present in social media, millennials may just pass you by. If you do employ them, they will be an asset and can help you with designing an effective social media strategy.

Gen Y can multitask

They are very good at doing many things at once. This also means that they are easily distracted and find it difficult to not be tempted by their phones, games, social media, etc. If you employ millennials, set short-term goals and give them a variety of things to do. They will not do well with the same task day in and day out.

Gen Y needs recognition

Because of how they were raised, millennials need recognition for what they do and they want to feel like they are making an impact. If you employ them, make sure that you explain the importance of their job and also make sure that there are rewards for milestones or good work.

Gen Y wants flexibility

Millennials are much less willing to sit in an office from 8 to 5 than previous generations. They want to have flexibility in their day. They want to be able to work hard and play just as hard. They want a balance between work and doing other things that are important to them. If you employ them and it works with your company’s nature, allow them to work from home now and then. Tell them that as long as they meet deadlines and put in a certain number of hours daily, they can be at work and away from work when they want.

Millennials can be great employees and they are hard workers. Employing them just requires a few tweaks on the traditional models of working hours and job requirements.

7 Interesting Facts About Millennials

Millennials are called entitled, selfish, demanding, and many other negative things. However, all these things are not necessarily true and are definitely not true for all of them. To help you understand them a bit better, here are a few facts.

Many of them still live at home – Approximately a third of the people aged between 18 and 34 still live with their parents. According to the experts, this is due to the high cost of housing and the lower income they receive. Many of the millennials who live on their own, spend about half their salary paying for rent.

They make up a large part of the workforce – It is estimated that 30% of the millennials are in management positions. They make up a large part of the workforce and have overtaken the number of Generation X-ers who are present in the workforce.

They earn 20% less than their parents did – People between the ages of 24 and 36 are making approximately $10 000 less than their parents did when they were the same age.

They are very charitable – Despite the fact that most people believe them to be very selfish, the Gen Y kids are the most charitable compared to previous generations. Many donate regularly to charities or give their time and talents to important causes.

They know how to save for retirement – Millennials have more debt than the generation before them. However, they are well-educated on saving for retirement and are doing so at almost the same rate as their parents did.

They care about the environment – The millennials are more concerned about climate change and living green than they are about any other global issue.

They are more inclined to disconnect than others – The generation that grew up with the internet and is addicted to their phones, seem to be more willing to disconnect when they go on vacation.

Stereotypes don’t depict the millennials correctly and we should pay more attention to the good they do and the circumstances they are in. They may just be the best thing to happen to the world.

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