Towards a framework too enhance Millennials' and Generation Xers' well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Orientation: While adversity causes devastation, it can also cause individuals to assume a new and positive perspective on life. Positive emotions can assist individuals in overcoming adversity, safeguard them against negative experiences and help them to focus on the positive experiences. Research purpose: This research investigated the experiences of two generational cohorts (Millennials and Generation Xers) from Germany and South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to develop a framework to enhance their well-being. Research method: An investigation was conducted with 37 research participants from Germany and South Africa who were selected using purposive and volunteer sampling. Of these, 29 individuals (representing six organisations) participated in focus group discussions and eight independent individuals participated in computer-mediated one-on-one interviews. Main findings: The findings revealed that, despite Millennials and Generation Xers experiencing several incidences of anxiety and fear during the COVID-19 pandemic, both generational cohorts applied similar coping mechanisms such as social support (nurturing relationships and spirituality) and positive psychology (acceptance, positive thinking, educating oneself, self-care, keeping to normal routines and mindfulness) to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The coping mechanisms adopted not only enabled the participants to deal with the challenges of the pandemic but also initiated positive lifestyle changes that led to enhanced well-being. Both generational cohorts identified four key elements (social support, spirituality, sense of security, and meaningful life) as aspects that contribute to achieving fulfilment during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most significant findings of the study is that, while South Africans, particularly Millennials, needed meaningful and purposeful lives to achieve fulfilment, Generation Xers needed spirituality and a sense of security to achieve fulfilment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Neither German Millennials nor Generations Xers needed spirituality to achieve fulfilment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contribution/value-add: The findings of the study support the development of the framework to enhance the well-being of Millennials and Generation Xers. In addition, the findings were consistent with other research studies that propose adversity to be a catalyst for creating more meaningful lives through a re-appraisal of life. The theoretical framework of the experiences of the two generational cohorts regarding the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates that although Millennials and Generation Xers were born in different eras, they experience adversity and uncertainty similarly when circumstances are unknown, unfamiliar and unexpected.

Oriëntasie: Hoewel teëspoed verwoesting veroorsaak, kan dit ook daartoe lei dat individue 'n nuwe en positiewe perspektief op die lewe kry. Positiewe emosies kan individue help om teëspoed te oorkom, hulle teen negatiewe ervarings te beskerm en hulle help om op die positiewe ervarings te konsentreer. Doel van die navorsing: Hierdie navorsing het die ervarings van twee generasiegroepe (Millenniërs en Generasie X’ers) uit Duitsland en Suid-Afrika tydens die COVID-19-pandemie ondersoek om 'n raamwerk te ontwikkel om hul welstand te verbeter. Navorsingsmetode: 'n Ondersoek is gedoen met 37 deelnemers uit Duitsland en Suid-Afrika. Hulle is gekies is met behulp van doelgerigte en vrywillige steekproewe. Uit die totaal van 37 het 29 individue, wat ses organisasies verteenwoordig, aan fokusgroepbesprekings deelgeneem terwyl die oorblywende agt aan rekenaar-gesteunde een-tot-een-onderhoude deelgeneem het. Belangrikste bevindings: Die bevindings het getoon dat, alhoewel Millenniërs en Generasie X’ers verskeie episodes van angs en vrees tydens die COVID-19-pandemie ervaar het, het beide groepe soortgelyke hanteringsmeganismes soos gemeenskapsondersteuning (koestering van verhoudings en spiritualiteit) en positiewe sielkunde (aanvaarding, positiewe denke, selfopvoeding, selfversorging, instandhouding van normale roetines en bewustheid) ingespan om die COVID-19-pandemie te hanteer. Die hanteringsmeganismes wat benut is, het die deelnemers in staat gestel om die uitdagings van die pandemie die hoof te bied asook positiewe lewenstylveranderinge wat welstand verbeter het, geïnisieer. Beide generasie-kohorte het vier sleutelelemente geïdentifiseer (gemeenskapsondersteuning, spiritualiteit, gevoel van veiligheid en betekenisvolle lewe) wat bydra tot die verwesenlikking van doelwitte tydens die COVID-19-pandemie. Een van die belangrikste bevindings van die studie is dat Suid-Afrikaners, veral Millenniërs, sinvolle en doelgerigte lewens nodig gehad het om die verwesenlikking van doelwitte te bereik. Daarteenoor het Generasie X’ers geestelikheid en 'n gevoel van veiligheid nodig gehad om tydens die COVID-19-pandemie dieselfde te bereik. Nóg Duitse Millenniërs nóg Generasie X’ers het spiritualiteit nodig gehad om tydens die COVID-19-pandemie hul doelwitte te bereik. Bydrae/waardetoevoeging: Die bevindinge van die studie ondersteun die ontwikkeling van die raamwerk om die welstand van Millenniërs en Generasie X’ers te verbeter. Daarbenewens was die bevindinge in ooreenstemming met ander navorsing wat voorstel dat teenspoed 'n katalisator is vir die skep van sinvoller lewens deur 'n nuwe lewensbeskouing. Die teoretiese raamwerk van die ervarings van die twee generasiegroepe met betrekking tot die COVID-19-pandemie illustreer dat, hoewel Millenniërs en Generasie X’ers in verskillende tydperke gebore is, hulle teëspoed en onsekerheid op dieselfde manier ervaar wanneer omstandighede onbekend en onverwags is.

Umumo: Nanxa ubunzima buletha inhlupheko, bungaphinde futhi bube nembangela kubantu ukuba babe nemibono emisha nemihle ngezimpilo zabo. Imizwa emihle ingasiza abantu ukuba bakwazi ukunqoba ubunzima, ibavikele ezimeni ezingezinhle futhi ibasize bakwazi ukugxila ezimeni ezinhle ngezimpilo zabo. Injongo yalolu cwaningo: Lolu cwaningo luphenye izimo abantu abaphila ngaphansi kwazo zezizukulwane ezimbili (ezazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1981 nonyaka ka-1996 nalezo ezazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1965 nonyaka ka-1980) zaseJalimane nezaseNingizimu Afrika ngesikhathi sobhubhane iCovid-19, ukuze lukwazi ukuthuthukisa uhlaka lokudlondlobalisa ukuphatheka kahle kwalezi zizukulwane. Indlela yokwenza ucwaningo: Kwenziwa ucwaningo kusetshenziswa abantu ababamba iqhaza abangu-37 baseJalimane nabaseNingizimu Afrika ababekhethwe kusetshenziswa indlela yenhloso kanye neyokuvolontiya. Kulabo bantu, abangu-29 (ababemele izinhlangano eziyisithupha) babamba iqhaza ezingxoxweni zamaqembu ezigxile esihlokweni esithize; abayisishiyagalombili abazimele baxoxa besebenzisa amakhompyutha uma benza inhlolovo ngababili. Imiphumela ebalulekile etholakele: Imiphumela yaveza ukuthi, nanxa labo abazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1965 nonyaka ka-1980 nalabo abazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1981 nonyaka ka-1996 behlangabezana nezigameko zokukhathazeka eziningi nokwesaba ngesikhathi sobhubhane iCovid-19, zozimbili lezi zizukulwane zisebenzise izindlela zokubhekana nalesi simo ezifanayo. Lezi zindlela yilezo ezifaka phakathi ukwesekelwa umphakathi (ukudlondlobalisa ubudlelwane nezikamoya) nokusebenzisa ingqondo ngendlela enemiphumela emihle (ukwamukela, ukucabanga okuhle kuphela, ukuzifundisa ezinto ezintsha, ukuzinakekela, ukulandela izindlela ezejwayelekile nokuhlala unomqondo okhaliphile) ukuze bakwazi ukubhekana nobhubhane iCovid-19. Izindlela zokubhekana nalesi simo eziqokwe yilezi zizukulwane ezimbili azisizanga laba ababebambe iqhaza ukubhekana nezimo ezingezinhle zobhubhane kuphela, kodwa zaphinde zaqala izindlela zokuphila ezintsha, ezinhle, ezathuthukisa ukuphatheka kahle okungcono. Zozimbili lezi zizukulwane zakhomba izinto ezine ezibalulekile (ukwesekelwa uhulumeni, ezikamoya, ukuzizwa uphephile, nokuphila impilo enempokophelo) eziholela ekutheni umuntu azizwe enokunqoba ngalesi sikhathi sobhubhane iCovid-19. Enye yezinto ezibalulekile ezatholakala kulolu cwaningo ukuthi, nanxa izakhamuzi zaseNingizimu Afrika, ikakhulukazi labo abazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1965 nonyaka ka-1980, zidinga ukuphila impilo egculisayo nenempokophelo ukuze zizizwe zeneme, labo abazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1981 nonyaka ka-1996 bona bathi badinga ezikamoya nokuzizwa bephephile ukuze bakwazi ukuphila impilo engcono ngesikhathi sobhubhane iCovid-19. AmaJalimane azalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1965 nonyaka ka-1980 nalabo abazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1965 nonyaka ka-1996 lapha eNingizimu Afrika bona abaludingi usizo kwezikamoya ukuze bakwazi ukuzizwa beneme ngesikhathi sobhubhane iCovid-19. Ukwengeza ulwazi: Okutholakele kulolu cwaningo kweseka ukuthuthukiswa kohlaka lokudlondlobalisa impilo yezizukulwane ezazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1965 nonyaka ka-1980 nalezo ezazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1981 nonyaka ka-1996. Ngaphezu kwalokho, le miphumela yocwaningo ihambisana nolunye ucwaningo lwangaphambilini olwathola ukuthi uma kukhona ubunzima, buba nesandla ekuthuthukiseni indlela abantu abaphila ngayo. Uhlaka lwethiyori lwempilo yalezi zizukulwane ezimbili, ngokuphathelene nobhubhane iCovid-19, luveza ukuthi nanxa izizukulwane ezazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1965 nonyaka ka-1980 nalezo ezazalwa phakathi konyaka ka-1981 nonyaka ka-1996 zazalwa ngeminyaka eyehlukene, lezi zizukulwane zithola ukuthi ubunzima nokungabi nesiqiniseko kuyefana uma kukhona izinto eziqala ukwenzeka futhi kuyizinto ezingaziwa nezingalindelwe.