*By Carlo Versano*
A few weeks ago, a Buzzfeed [article](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/millennials-burnout-generation-debt-work) that coined the term "millennial burnout" went viral, with readers taking to social media to discuss the very particular sense of exhaustion felt by this generation, and how it's different from the universal stresses of daily life.
As Joni Rayos-Samilin, a "transformational" coach, explained to Cheddar, the source of millennial burnout can be traced to ー what else? ー the internet.
"Everyone knows what everyone's doing," Rayos-Samilin said, and social media has amplified that familiar feeling of FOMO to make people, particularly millennials, question their own self-worth.
Is my job good enough? Is my relationship good enough? Am I traveling enough?
It's exhausting.
That 24/7 feeling of being connected extends to work, where employees feel like they're never "off the clock." Even if companies tell their workers they don't need to respond to emails and Slack messages at all hours of the day, many still do out of a sense of responsibility or fear that if they don't, someone else will.
Burnout, of course, is a universal problem that has been exacerbated by the digital age. But the millennial generation is the first to fully deal with it as adults. In order to cope, Rayos-Samilin said she recommends to her clients that they create boundaries and set priorities, like scheduling time for the "real world" things that they value: conversations with friends, exercise, and even limited amounts of social media.
"Do what you need to do for self care," she said. Otherwise, it becomes too easy to give into the outside pressures of the connected world.
Rayos-Samilin said she's already seeing a backlash against constant social media use in some of her millennial clients, and [anecdotal data](https://sciencetrends.com/much-of-generation-z-might-be-leaving-facebook-and-other-social-media-platforms-behind/) shows that has spread to the next generation, known as Gen Z.
If there's a single way to fight burnout it's this: stop comparing yourself to others. That's a skill that goes back to the Buddhists, who use mindfulness meditation techniques to remind themselves to stay grounded in the present moment. Most of what you see online is a construct anyway, Rayos-Samilin said. It takes time, patience, and energy to fight the desire to wonder whether what you're doing is good enough ー especially now that everyone has a constant reminder in their pocket that someone, somewhere, is doing it better.
Marjorie Margolies, an Emmy-winning journalist and former Congressperson, was on assignment as a reporter in South Korea in 1970 when she adopted 7-year-old Lee Heh. She was the first American ever to adopt a child from another country while unmarried. Cheddar News sat down with Margolies, and her son Vu Pham, as she recounted her story.
A recent survey from tech giant HP shows that while women are very interested in advancing their careers, men are still promoted at a much higher rate. Managing Director of North America at HP Stephanie Dismore joined Cheddar News to discuss the data and how changes brought on by the pandemic helped — and hurt — women in the workforce. "This whole idea of hybrid working is a challenge, but it's also an opportunity. And ideally what it can do for women is provide extreme flexibility, and it gives them an opportunity to really be very vocal about what they need and how they can contribute the best in the environment that they're in," she said. "However, at the same time, while women are applying and wanting to advance their careers. COVID actually had the reverse effect. And if you look at other studies, one in four women actually took a step back from their careers or exited the workforce altogether."
Marshall Mayer, the co-founder of the Let's Buy an Island crowdsourcing campaign, joined Cheddar News to discuss purchasing of the Coffee Caye Island off the coast of Belize, building it into its own micronation, and what challenges he's faced in this process. "First of all we recognize where we are. We know we're in Belize, we're not, you know, we have no ambitions beyond the fun of this project," he said. "When it comes to actually creating this sort of thing, most of the people that started this project myself included are dedicated world travelers. We love going to sort of the unique and strange around the world and getting to know interesting cultures and interesting areas."
The hit show 'Snowfall' about the cocaine epidemic in 1980s Los Angeles returned for a fifth season in February, and Angela Lewis, who plays Aunt Louie on the show, joined Cheddar News to talk about the love that she has received for her role and her approach towards it. "I think the biggest thing that I do is I have to be confident," she said. "You cannot play a character like Louie without — you can't play her shrinking away from anything. You can't play her being insecure about whatever it is you might be insecure about." Lewis also touched on her advocacy for Black maternal health that had been sparked by her own pregnancy.
Catching you up on what you Need to Know on Mar 28, 2022, with peace talks resuming in Ukraine as early as today, Colorado wildfires causing evacuations, Shanghai, China, ramping up restrictions once again, the Oscars debacle between Will Smith and Chris Rock, and more.
