Pitching a Tent
However, Gen Z isn't the first to pull this move. Back in my 20s, I used to hide in the bathroom at work. The retail world was particularly hard on me, not only physically but emotionally as well. Karen customers, corporate-approved music on repeat, and the intoxicating scent of mixed fragrances made my head spin the moment I clocked in for a shift. My coworkers were insufferable, my managers unrealistic, and there was no escape from the unblinking eye of the sluggish breakroom clock. Except in the bathroom.
Upon entering the restroom, suddenly the world was quiet, my mind was at ease, and nobody wanted to talk to me. In the bathroom, an employee is safe from customers, their coworkers, their bosses, and their never-ending list of responsibilities. Time ceases to exist and a sort of meditative calm is cultivated. “In a world that never shuts up, a locked door and some silence can go a long way,” says Ashley Fike, a Vice journalist. “The lights are harsh, the floor’s gross, and no one cares—because it’s still the one place you’re allowed to be alone.” Nowadays, bathroom camping gives employees an escape.
Psychologically and physiologically, a quiet, meditative space is crucial to a person’s wellbeing. In modern times, it’s tough to avoid screens, social interactions, and constant connectivity, especially at work; but that doesn’t mean that moments of silence are any less important. According to Samantha Stein Psy.D., a clinical psychologist from Psychology Today, “Engaging in periods of silence can help us clear our minds, leading to improved concentration and productivity when returning to work.” While silence is sometimes hard to source, it’s crucial to incorporate moments of peace in our daily lives. Silence has been found to lower blood pressure and reduce stress, according to experts like Stein, which promotes overall physical health by decreasing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.
In the workplace, it’s almost impossible to find a quiet spot where you can just be alone with your thoughts. Hyperaware of their overstimulation, Gen Z has realized that the workplace bathroom is an emotional safehouse, tuning out the cacophony of stressors of their jobs, if only for a brief, revitalizing moment.
Via u/thewadeempire
Putting the “Rest” in Restroom
Gen Z has captivated the essence of work/life balance better than any other generation before them, prioritizing mental health by protecting their boundaries, even in the workplace. According to Sam Glick, a reporter from the World Economic Forum, those born between 1997 and 2012 are significantly more open-minded about mental health problems compared to previous generations and they are far more aware of mental wellness techniques. However, regardless of their mental health awareness, Gen Z still wrestles with the pressures of the working world just like everyone else.
According to online mental health resource, Better Health Channel, work-related stress has many causes, including long hours, heavy workload, job insecurity and conflicts with co-workers or bosses. While these stressors are nothing new, Gen Z may be one of the first generations to tackle their issues by looking inward. Harnessing factors that they have the power to control, Gen Z has utilized “bathroom camping” as a way to give themselves a mental health break when needed. No matter how indirectly they approach the problems, at least hiding in the bathroom takes Gen Z’s mental wellbeing in the right direction.
Notoriously overworked, overqualified, and underpaid, Gen Z may be the most underrated generation in the workforce, but they’re also the closest to a mental breakdown. According to research published by Caryl M. Stern, a journalist with the Walton Family Foundation, over 42% of Gen Z grapples with mental instability or anxiety. While Gen Z is the most aware of the effects of declining mental health, they’re also extremely vulnerable to stress. Perhaps Gen Z’s escape from their monumentally stressful mountain of responsibility is as simple as a bathroom run.
“I’m a restroom camper,” declared Hendo, an avid TikTok user. “Every time something gets overstimulating in my life, let me go to the bathroom and let me refresh a little.” Under the fluorescent lights and amidst the pungent aroma of Fabulosa and antibacterial handsoap, there is serenity. As Hendo says, “There’s nothing like a little bathroom pep talk to yourself in the mirror.” When life is becoming overwhelming and oppressive, a pep talk can be a life saver.
Seeking self-care in all aspects of their lives, Gen Z views healthcare in a more holistic manner, taking steps towards overall wellness through their psychological needs, physical fitness, and emotional wellbeing. This balancing act translates to their lives as a whole, and Gen Z is using TikTok trends in an attempt to find healthy harmony, especially in their newly sprouted careers.
Via u/thekid_ke
Porto-Bunker
Gen Z may be relatively new to the workforce, but they’ve already identified some of the key stressors on the clock, mitigating factors within their control to ease the stress of their nine-to-five. As it turns out, mediating workplace stress away might be as simple as taking a breather, seizing a moment of silence, and flushing away your problems one bathroom break at a time.
Via u/uliaryan