Leading happiness expert Arthur C. Brooks teamed up with Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation to survey more than 2,000 Gen Zers ages 12 to 26 and take a closer look at what makes them happy.
The survey found that 73% of Gen Z consider themselves very happy or somewhat happy.
But as Generation Z reaches adulthood, from age 18 and up, we see quite large differences in happiness levels, said Zach Hrynowski, author of the survey report and senior researcher at Gallup.
There was also a drop in Gen Zers over 18 compared to those under 18 for things like “feeling like your life has meaning and direction,” he added.
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The #1 Thing That Influences Gen Z's Happiness Is Purpose
One of the most important findings of the survey was that what most influences Generation Z’s happiness is “their sense of purpose at work or school.”
However, “between 43% and 49% of Gen Z do not feel that what they do each day is interesting, important, or motivating,” the report states.
In Brooks' course on happiness at Harvard University, he suggests thinking of your happiness as an investment portfolio and investing it in four areas; one of those areas is meaningful work.
Brooks encourages people to prioritize work that makes them feel fulfilled, even if it's not the highest paying job.
David Spicer, 23, a high school English teacher, said working in the same school system where he was a student fueled his purpose.
Spicer likes being “in a position where you can address some of the situations that might have made your experience as a child better, whether it's the way you teach or whether it's your relationship with students,” he tells CNBC Make It.
“Although I am 10 years older than my students, I realize that I have a lot in common with them, which adds to their happiness and my own,” he said.
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4 major influences on Gen Z's happiness
The survey found these are the top four factors influencing Generation Z's happiness:
Purpose and meaning
Basic needs and security
Negative emotions and social pressure
Positive social connections
Basic needs like sleep and relaxation have a big impact on whether Gen Z is happy or not.
They also feel less positive when they compare themselves to others.
Face-to-face interaction is good for Gen Z's health
One key takeaway from the survey was that the happiest Generation Zers “are at least twice as likely to say they often feel loved, supported, and connected to the people around them.”
However, only about a third of Gen Z say they don't often feel supported or loved by others.
“There’s this perception that Gen Z is really connected, but are those connections high quality? Are they giving you the love and support that you really need?” Hrynowski says.
The report suggests that social media may be contributing to this. Gen Z may have many online relationships with their peers, but many of them may lack depth.
“Those connections, especially on social media, [Brooks] calls them the junk food of social connections,” he says.
“Like junk food, you can eat it, you'll feel full for 10-15 minutes, but it's empty calories and you find yourself not being satisfied in the way you need in terms of real social connection.”
It’s important for Gen Z to not rely solely on social media to interact with their friends. “People who spend more time with their friends and family are more likely to feel more fulfilled in the long run,” says Hrynoski.
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