Society

It's the trend of the moment. Personal well-being is now presented as a holy grail, in a society where meaning is gradually disintegrating in favor of productivity. This famous know-how that encourages us to no longer "be"...

And yet, even if well-being appears to be a current driving force, it would seem that our health isn't improving. This is what emerges from an international study* conducted by Edelman Data & Intelligence in fifteen markets, between April 22 and May 30 of this year. In its report entitled "Global Wellbeing Report 2024", the research and analysis consulting agency highlights that for 4 years, global well-being scores have stagnated, without significant variation: 66/100 today against 65/100 in 2021, even as we were emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paradoxically, it's the pressure exerted by society to "be well" that fuels a cycle of generalized malaise, underlines the Belgian media RTBF.

Exhaustion to be well

According to the results of the study, a constant pressure to maintain or improve level of well-being, with regard to specific factors, is felt by 61% of individuals. Today, one in two people (45%) suffer from what is called "well-being burnout", triggered by this injunction to be well, without really knowing or understanding how to take care of oneself. The manifestations of this burnout? A state of intense fatigue, let's say, of exhaustion, both physical and mental due to prolonged stress but also to an inability to meet the others' expectations. Still according to the report, 63% of individuals suffering from this burnout feel completely powerless to improve their well-being. It's a snake eating its tail.

And it's the younger generations who are the most impacted. 76% of Generation Z and 71% of millennials say they feel increased pressure, compared to only 41% of baby boomers, RTBF indicates. A pressure that would result from unrealistic societal expectations, a strong feeling of isolation and contradictory information.

But how can we get out of this vicious whirlwind?

The study highlights small, simple actions to break out of the cycle of unhappiness.

Separating private and professional life: +13% well-being
Agreeing to take a break from social media networks: +9%
Taking time in nature or breathing the fresh air: +18%
Going for a walk, less than 15 minutes a day: +13%
Practicing mindfulness: +12%

While this injunction to “be well” seems more and more pressing, the most important thing, more than ever, is to be able to define your own balance; between personal needs and external expectations. Without this, well-being would become an additional source of stress.

* the study was conducted on a sample of 1,000 people per market, 2,000 for China, (a total of 16,000 people). These people are representative of the general population in terms of age, gender and income.

(MH with AsD - Source: RTBF - Illustration: Unsplash)