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The Burnout Generation
1 hora y 47 minutos.
In January 2019, culture writer Anne Helen Petersen set the Internet on fire with her viral BuzzFeed essay diagnosing "millennial burnout"—a chronic state of stress and exhaustion that’s become a "base temperature" for young people today. Now, she continues this generation-defining conversation in a brand-new format, interviewing millennials around the country about their own deeply personal experiences with burnout and the culture that creates it. Listeners will hear about how this issue has affected Petersen’s own life as well as the lives of five very different subjects: Kevin, a musician and Marine veteran; Kate, a first-generation college graduate working to repay her formidable student debt; Haley and Evette, young writers at different career stages in the digital media industry; and John, a pastor and co-founder of a new Baptist church in North Carolina.
The conversations that comprise The Burnout Generation cover everything from debt to social media to the blurred boundaries between our professional and personal lives. In this illuminating and intimate audio project, listeners learn how and why this generation has been conditioned to "optimize" every aspect of our lives (Meal prep for the week! Find a side hustle! But practice self-care! And answer emails in bed!), and most importantly, how the consequences of this phenomenon play out in day-to-day life.
©2019 Anne Helen Petersen (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.
In January 2019, culture writer Anne Helen Petersen set the Internet on fire with her viral BuzzFeed essay diagnosing "millennial burnout"—a chronic state of stress and exhaustion that’s become a "base temperature" for young people today. Now, she continues this generation-defining conversation in a brand-new format, interviewing millennials around the country about their own deeply personal experiences with burnout and the culture that creates it. Listeners will hear about how this issue has affected Petersen’s own life as well as the lives of five very different subjects: Kevin, a musician and Marine veteran; Kate, a first-generation college graduate working to repay her formidable student debt; Haley and Evette, young writers at different career stages in the digital media industry; and John, a pastor and co-founder of a new Baptist church in North Carolina.
The conversations that comprise The Burnout Generation cover everything from debt to social media to the blurred boundaries between our professional and personal lives. In this illuminating and intimate audio project, listeners learn how and why this generation has been conditioned to "optimize" every aspect of our lives (Meal prep for the week! Find a side hustle! But practice self-care! And answer emails in bed!), and most importantly, how the consequences of this phenomenon play out in day-to-day life.
©2019 Anne Helen Petersen (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.
Audible Audio
First published March 10, 2019
95 people are currently reading
3816 people want to read
About the author
Anne Helen Petersen
7 books816 followersAnne Helen Petersen has an actual Ph.D. in celebrity gossip and writes longform pieces for BuzzFeed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 592 reviews
January 6, 2024
This isn't a book, it's a lazy blog post. The author confuses having a couple dozen anecdotes about young people working too hard as proof of an entire generation's status. I don't think there was a single piece of research in the entire book, and at no point did she make a compelling case that the circumstances of the millennial generation is significantly harder or somehow more dramatic than that faced by others. (My favorite moment was when she made the point that work is bleeding into off time - which is a point worth real scientific research - and implies that everyone in previous generations were all working at the factory 9 to 5, completely replacing every Baby Boomer and Gen X life experience with an Americana caricature. Pagers were invented in 1921, Anne.) Instead of a pop-sci thinkpiece or reasoned insight, what you get is a series of young 20-somethings relating in interview form how shocked they are that being an adult isn't making them happy.
It's whining without a solution. Skip it.
It's whining without a solution. Skip it.
November 29, 2020
This is just anecdotes. There’s no actual research, just different millennials explaining what their burn out looked like for them and their relationships with their parents. It really feels more like a lengthy buzzfeed article than a book.
This is an important topic, but I really wish there had been some research or facts or anything beyond conversational discussion.
This is an important topic, but I really wish there had been some research or facts or anything beyond conversational discussion.
December 25, 2019
Super relatable. I was engaged in the interviews and liked the interview format for this particular subject matter. Could have been edited 1 more time. There was one interview where the interviewee repeated the same line several times as if they were trying to get the best take but then never went back and edited out the repeated line.
As an "elder millennial" (I'm 36 years old and was born in 1983, so I'm technically a "millennial," whether I feel like one or not.), I found the topic of burnout extremely relevant to my life. I sometimes feel like a walking to do list, and my to do list repeatedly recycles itself the way Petersen and her interviewees say in this Audible Original. I completely understand the feeling of always having to be "on," especially at work but in other areas of my life as well (i.e. w/ my friends and family, in my relationship w/ my partner, in my domestic duties, etc.).
It was interesting when Kevin, one of the interviewees, spoke about how the military provided him guidance and focus and a singular purpose and clear separation between work and leisure. Petersen also talked about how many women say the same thing about maternity leave and how it's a relief because new mothers have a singular focus - keeping their baby alive - and that provides them a sense of purpose that they don't get from work. A lot of people in my generation are seeking purpose in their lives, and I would definitely include myself when I say that. I work for a giant online retailer and don't feel that my job provides much meaning in my life. It's a good job, and it pays the bills, but I'm still living paycheck to paycheck and don't feel like I'm doing anything meaningful. I'm not helping other people. I don't feel fulfilled, so I seek fulfillment elsewhere in my life. Meaning is difficult to find/make.
Months ago, I told my boss that I was feeling run down, overwhelmed, burned out. Her response was that we all are, and I felt blown off and as if my feelings weren't valid. Like I needed to keep my nose to the grindstone and push through, which I did, but I was very unhappy. I was exhausted and never felt like I had enough energy, even on my days off and even if I was getting enough sleep. For my generation, even self-care, which is supposed to be helpful and rejuvenating and relaxing, has become just checking another box, crossing something off the to do list. It's sad that self-care has become another to do line item.
One interviewee spoke about listening to your body and being mindful and present and actively assessing your feelings. I realized that I don't listen to my body, especially at work. If I'm in the middle of a project or under a deadline, I'll put off even something as essential as going to the bathroom to try to finish my work first. This Audible Original resonated w/ me in a personal and reflective way.
I wanted way more. I'm glad Petersen mentioned that she spent the summer writing a whole book on the subject of burnout. I plan to find and read it, and I hope it's a deeper dive than the taste I got here.
As an "elder millennial" (I'm 36 years old and was born in 1983, so I'm technically a "millennial," whether I feel like one or not.), I found the topic of burnout extremely relevant to my life. I sometimes feel like a walking to do list, and my to do list repeatedly recycles itself the way Petersen and her interviewees say in this Audible Original. I completely understand the feeling of always having to be "on," especially at work but in other areas of my life as well (i.e. w/ my friends and family, in my relationship w/ my partner, in my domestic duties, etc.).
It was interesting when Kevin, one of the interviewees, spoke about how the military provided him guidance and focus and a singular purpose and clear separation between work and leisure. Petersen also talked about how many women say the same thing about maternity leave and how it's a relief because new mothers have a singular focus - keeping their baby alive - and that provides them a sense of purpose that they don't get from work. A lot of people in my generation are seeking purpose in their lives, and I would definitely include myself when I say that. I work for a giant online retailer and don't feel that my job provides much meaning in my life. It's a good job, and it pays the bills, but I'm still living paycheck to paycheck and don't feel like I'm doing anything meaningful. I'm not helping other people. I don't feel fulfilled, so I seek fulfillment elsewhere in my life. Meaning is difficult to find/make.
Months ago, I told my boss that I was feeling run down, overwhelmed, burned out. Her response was that we all are, and I felt blown off and as if my feelings weren't valid. Like I needed to keep my nose to the grindstone and push through, which I did, but I was very unhappy. I was exhausted and never felt like I had enough energy, even on my days off and even if I was getting enough sleep. For my generation, even self-care, which is supposed to be helpful and rejuvenating and relaxing, has become just checking another box, crossing something off the to do list. It's sad that self-care has become another to do line item.
One interviewee spoke about listening to your body and being mindful and present and actively assessing your feelings. I realized that I don't listen to my body, especially at work. If I'm in the middle of a project or under a deadline, I'll put off even something as essential as going to the bathroom to try to finish my work first. This Audible Original resonated w/ me in a personal and reflective way.
I wanted way more. I'm glad Petersen mentioned that she spent the summer writing a whole book on the subject of burnout. I plan to find and read it, and I hope it's a deeper dive than the taste I got here.
December 26, 2019
Select a group of people with anxiety in their lives because they have chosen to take on large amounts of student debt for careers that do not pay well. Then talk about how unfair, hard-working, and deserving they are. Finally, wallow in why life is unfair, and then draw no conclusion.
January 25, 2020
Once it got to the first interview I thought "Oh no, I don't want to listen to a podcast!" No wonder this "book" was offered for free by Audible. I can see how people would enjoy this but it should really be headlined: Millennials In Shock that Being an Adult is no Picnic and Continually Wonder when Said Picnic Will Begin!
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December 24, 2019What's up with this book constantly being deleted! Super frustrating!
November 30, 2020
definitely an interesting topic, I just wished it was longer... I enjoyed the conversations but it feels like we only scratched the surface of a much deeper discussion
January 15, 2020
It's OK. Could have been a blog post or a podcast.
November 25, 2020
Well I listened to this while I was working today and it all felt incredibly relatable. Seeing as I've now worked over 40 hours and it's only Wednesday 🙈
Burnout is a real thing. Student debt is a real thing. Getting stuck in a job that expects you to work 24/7 7 days a week while barely paying you a living wage shouldn't be the norm. The negative reviews for this make it seem like millennials are whiny and lazy, which I guess is nothing new, but millennials work like no other generation. We're expected to eat, sleep and breathe our jobs and god forbid we expect to leave work at the door or take time off. Adding onto that ridiculous work load is the fact that many of us can't AFFORD to take time off because we work so much for so little pay. We were told college degrees were essential and then shoved into a work place where if you don't have a PhD and 10 years of experience, you're making minimum wage.
This is much more similar to a podcast than a book, but I'd still recommend it if you have audible. It's a quick listen and the interviews are fascinating. I was captivated with the accounts and how many similarities I see in my own life.
Burnout is a real thing. Student debt is a real thing. Getting stuck in a job that expects you to work 24/7 7 days a week while barely paying you a living wage shouldn't be the norm. The negative reviews for this make it seem like millennials are whiny and lazy, which I guess is nothing new, but millennials work like no other generation. We're expected to eat, sleep and breathe our jobs and god forbid we expect to leave work at the door or take time off. Adding onto that ridiculous work load is the fact that many of us can't AFFORD to take time off because we work so much for so little pay. We were told college degrees were essential and then shoved into a work place where if you don't have a PhD and 10 years of experience, you're making minimum wage.
This is much more similar to a podcast than a book, but I'd still recommend it if you have audible. It's a quick listen and the interviews are fascinating. I was captivated with the accounts and how many similarities I see in my own life.
February 21, 2020
Got free on audible. NOT a book... maybe not even a podcast. More like a whiney blog post that someone read into a mike.
Superfluous and entitled subject performed by a voice that sounded like something between a valley girl and text speak.
Little to no researched material formed the basis. I felt like I was listening to a bad report given by a college freshman who was trying way too hard to get a grade for something they had written after $1 beer happy hour.
Pointless. Please audible stop putting out stuff that isn’t even a short excuse for a book.
Superfluous and entitled subject performed by a voice that sounded like something between a valley girl and text speak.
Little to no researched material formed the basis. I felt like I was listening to a bad report given by a college freshman who was trying way too hard to get a grade for something they had written after $1 beer happy hour.
Pointless. Please audible stop putting out stuff that isn’t even a short excuse for a book.
January 26, 2021
Meh - it was okay for hearing stories about burnout and the various ways it can happen as well as it happening in one's "dream job" - but for any research, solutions or action to take - it falls far short. It was good for having something going in the background while waiting for my computer to run reports. At least at under 2 hours , it was short. Really a bunch of podcasts instead of an audiobook
April 4, 2020
Listened to this on audible...it was free. Thank goodness otherwise I wouldn't recommend it. Its interviews with a bunch of people complaining how tired they are and how much they have to do. Yes we all have alot to do and we all have our own struggles. I dont know seems like a way for people to have a cop out imo. Yes life is much more demanding now but seriously everyone's going through that
December 23, 2022
Unlike some I really don’t have an issue with this being more like a podcast then a researched book. What I was hoping to get from this is better insight into why we see more people with burn out just give up. Working in eduction I see a larger percentage of students each year becoming over stressed with burnout even though schools have cut homework and amount of curricula. The students seems to match the interviews here with respect to burnout. It may be unfair that I took three stars off but just don’t feel the interviews she chose really explain why they have burnout. Instead they were more about what burnout felt like for them. It’s a start but doesn’t go far enough to be helpful.
January 3, 2021
Bullet Review:
Based off the piece, How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. Great piece for all of us, as I feel many experience burnout now more than ever.
Based off the piece, How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. Great piece for all of us, as I feel many experience burnout now more than ever.
December 26, 2020
A short listen on Audible of under 2h with a click-bait title aiming at a potential relatedness. I could however not really appreciate the podcast format and I did not really enjoy its structure. This is not an audiobook, much less a book, so don't waste your time.
It is attempting at some point to discuss millennials and the generation divide, but it does so in a kind of superficial and emotional fashion where obvious statements are made. Everyone is feeling the economic instability that inflation and mismanagement is causing. The classical 'rich is getting richer' is worth discussing, but not in the context this podcast is attempting.
It is attempting at some point to discuss millennials and the generation divide, but it does so in a kind of superficial and emotional fashion where obvious statements are made. Everyone is feeling the economic instability that inflation and mismanagement is causing. The classical 'rich is getting richer' is worth discussing, but not in the context this podcast is attempting.
November 23, 2020
Oh was this a chore to finish, but I finally made it.
This audiobook has been recommended to me multiple times over the past year, it's literally everywhere, so I finally decided to listen to it and was utterly disappointed.
It's more like a combination of a podcast, a TedTalk, and those morning routine/positive thinking/take a cold shower trash YouTubers - it literally doesn't tell you anything and just wastes your precious time. The author herself said that she doesn't have a solution to the burnout problem, but that's not my issue here - it's the "bloggy" nature of the book, where all the conversations and stories are very shallow and are there just to fill the emptiness and achieve the wordcount.
A very interesting topic that covers a very serious problem of the modern man - but very dully executed, and with close to none depth.
This audiobook has been recommended to me multiple times over the past year, it's literally everywhere, so I finally decided to listen to it and was utterly disappointed.
It's more like a combination of a podcast, a TedTalk, and those morning routine/positive thinking/take a cold shower trash YouTubers - it literally doesn't tell you anything and just wastes your precious time. The author herself said that she doesn't have a solution to the burnout problem, but that's not my issue here - it's the "bloggy" nature of the book, where all the conversations and stories are very shallow and are there just to fill the emptiness and achieve the wordcount.
A very interesting topic that covers a very serious problem of the modern man - but very dully executed, and with close to none depth.
February 27, 2020
It's a quick listen. If you're in media or advertising, I would definitely recommend it.
I liked the fact that perspective was also given from a place where I know there is a lot of expectation from the community: religious organisations.
I love the fact that this is done by a younger group of individuals and then most of all, I love the fact that it underlines that you need someone to talk to. Someone to help you see things differently.
I rated it 3 because I found it informative and interesting without repeating itself.
I liked the fact that perspective was also given from a place where I know there is a lot of expectation from the community: religious organisations.
I love the fact that this is done by a younger group of individuals and then most of all, I love the fact that it underlines that you need someone to talk to. Someone to help you see things differently.
I rated it 3 because I found it informative and interesting without repeating itself.
September 22, 2021
Albeit less a book than a podcast like thing. That's not a complaint. I appreciated the conversational nature of the interviews as I drove long-distance. Peterson collects an ensemble of opinions, threaded through by her authorship, in a discussion on contemporary burnout (i.e. millennials and below most likely). While there isn't a whole lot of new information or empirical evidence, I think the anecdotes are commonly shared. It felt like being part of a good conversation on the topic, but I wish it could have been more.
January 13, 2020
I previously reviewed this before one of the GR librarians went on an Audible Originals deleting spree and deemed this as one of the "NOT A BOOK" options that had to go. I don't remember what I wrote but I didn't C&P it anywhere else. This one just wasn't worth the time for me and I was glad that I got it for free because I would have been upset if I had to pay for that lost time.
April 20, 2020
Este es uno de esos Audible Originals que dan gratis en la app.
Con estas producciones originales casi siempre es un volado en cuanto a la calidad, y nunca sabes muy bien qué vas a obtener. En este caso creo que quedó un poco mediocre, pudo haber sido un blog post, o la idea pudo desarrollarse mejor y convertirse en un podcatst.
Pero bueno, el punto de este libro es que los millennials la tenemos difícil. La conclusión de la autora es bastante débil, casi floja. Se pudo haber hecho mucho más.
Creo que es como un 2.5 (?)
Con estas producciones originales casi siempre es un volado en cuanto a la calidad, y nunca sabes muy bien qué vas a obtener. En este caso creo que quedó un poco mediocre, pudo haber sido un blog post, o la idea pudo desarrollarse mejor y convertirse en un podcatst.
Pero bueno, el punto de este libro es que los millennials la tenemos difícil. La conclusión de la autora es bastante débil, casi floja. Se pudo haber hecho mucho más.
Creo que es como un 2.5 (?)
September 9, 2021
I listened to this Audible Original to see if I would be interested in reading Petersen's full-length book on the topic. Although the topic is mildly interesting, I was not persuaded to delve into it any deeper.
November 28, 2021
I think, like a lot of people, I only read this to make use of my Audible subscription that runs out next month - I found it quite engaging generally, but for self-described journalism it relies almost exclusively on musings and anecdotes and little research outside of them. It’s a shame, because i fully support the message
April 23, 2022
Interesting to hear about other people's experiences with burnout but I was kind of hoping this would include solutions to tackling burnout. Also low-key not relevant because it was about experiences in the USA and student debt stress, but it was free on audible so, ya know...
May 25, 2023
I simply couldn’t handle the amount of times Kate said “um” I knocked off a whole star for it cause it was so damn annoying.
And pretty much all this book told me was what I already know… I’m burnt out. Shocker.
And pretty much all this book told me was what I already know… I’m burnt out. Shocker.
October 12, 2024
We're all so tired. Validating and relatable millennial anecdotes.
April 28, 2024
This is really just a little introduction to the topic because the author is wrote a full-length book about burn out.
December 6, 2021
Glad to know I’m not alone in burnout and like hearing other stories. That being said, I wish I looked into it before downloading on audible and realized it would strictly interviews. Not really a book but a nice quick listen for someone who needs help identifying burnout.
November 16, 2020
Muito bom, nota 0
Eu acho que a pior coisa que você pode fazer é confiar que se pode falar de um tema sério somente com experiências pessoais. "The Burnout Generation" está longe de abordar burnout como um todo, você pode chamar isso de podcast, compilado de jovens reclamando das dividas da faculdade mas se quer conhecer mais sobre esse mal da nossa geração não recomendo começar por aqui.
Eu acho que a pior coisa que você pode fazer é confiar que se pode falar de um tema sério somente com experiências pessoais. "The Burnout Generation" está longe de abordar burnout como um todo, você pode chamar isso de podcast, compilado de jovens reclamando das dividas da faculdade mas se quer conhecer mais sobre esse mal da nossa geração não recomendo começar por aqui.
January 5, 2020
A collection of interviews that helps you understand what you already know.
I rated this 5 stars mostly because I think every millennial in college or beyond can relate in some way. It was more of a podcast type listen which made the time fly by while listening.
If you want a short listen that won’t tell you anything you don’t already know but helps you understand that you’re not the only one, I highly recommend.
(Also seemed personal being a veteran going back to college in my mid 20’s *in Ohio* and having a close cousin living in Brooklyn)
I rated this 5 stars mostly because I think every millennial in college or beyond can relate in some way. It was more of a podcast type listen which made the time fly by while listening.
If you want a short listen that won’t tell you anything you don’t already know but helps you understand that you’re not the only one, I highly recommend.
(Also seemed personal being a veteran going back to college in my mid 20’s *in Ohio* and having a close cousin living in Brooklyn)
April 4, 2022
These interviews were very telling, and although I wished I had read her full book first, I could relate to most of these stories of Gen X, stuck in a sandwich generation, with lower incomes, job security, and future outlooks than their parents before, but who are also trying to care for both parents and children with less economic and healthcare stability than ever before as more professions move to contract work and school loan debt skyrockets.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 592 reviews