People who grew up in the 60s and 70s often struggle with these 6 modern behaviors

We live in a world our rotary-phone childhood selves could never have imagined.

Driverless cars cruise by, apps decide what we watch next, and your neighbor’s dog has its own Instagram account.

Most days that progress feels exciting; other days it can feel like standing on a moving walkway that’s going just a little too fast.

From my counseling chair I see a clear pattern: clients who came of age during the free-wheeling 1960s and self-actualizing 1970s frequently stumble over the same six modern behaviors.

They’re every bit as capable as younger generations—far from it—but the rulebook changed overnight.

If you grew up on Motown and MASH*, see whether any of these ring a bell.

(And if you’re younger, pass this to a favorite boomer or elder Gen X friend—they’ll thank you.)

1. Feeling pressured to answer immediately

Have you ever glanced at your phone, seen three unread texts, and thought, I have to reply right now or they’ll think I’m ignoring them?

Instant-message culture creates an unspoken expectation of 24/7 availability.

A 2017 Pew Research Center report found that about three-quarters of Americans 65 and older say they usually need someone else to set up or show them how to use a new electronic device.

When tech already feels intimidating, the fear of “keeping people waiting” can snowball into guilt and anxiety.

If this sounds familiar, try the buffer reply: “Got your message—will write back tonight.”

You preserve relationships and your peace of mind. Boundaries still matter in the age of blue checkmarks.

2. Navigating the personal-brand spotlight

“As Sheryl Sandberg reminds us, ‘We cannot change what we are not aware of, and once we are aware, we cannot help but change.’”

Self-promotion used to be optional; now it’s practically baked into professional life.

LinkedIn wants thought-leadership posts, hiring managers expect a portfolio link, and even volunteer groups ask for an online bio.

Clients raised on “don’t brag” often tell me, “I feel like I’m showing off.” The reframe I offer: online visibility isn’t vanity; it’s clarity.

Share value, not perfection.

Post the photo of the community garden your team revived, the quilt you spent months stitching, or the article that challenged your thinking.

Start small—one authentic post a month. Over time you’ll build a presence that feels like you rather than a costume you put on.

3. Multitasking to the point of mental fatigue

A couple in their sixties recently argued in my office because dinner conversations stalled every time his smartwatch buzzed.

He insisted he was “still listening.” The truth? Neither felt connected.

Attention is a finite resource; rapid task-switching taxes the brain far more than we realize.

Yet workplaces still celebrate juggling Slack threads, spreadsheets, and Zoom calls simultaneously.

If multitasking exhausts you, experiment with single-task sprints: twenty-minute windows in which you silence notifications and tackle one priority.

The classic Pomodoro timer—yes, the tomato-shaped kitchen gadget your college roommate swore by—still works wonders.

Communicate upfront: “I’ll be heads-down on a report until 3 p.m.—will circle back afterward.” Colleagues adapt quickly when you model a sane pace.

4. Keeping work and home from blurring together

Back in 1978 your office stayed behind when you shut the filing cabinet. Today?

Home is the office, the gym, and sometimes the after-school program.

Remote and hybrid arrangements bring freedom and boundary creep—laptops migrate from desk to couch, Slack pings during movie night, weekends fade into “catch-up” hours.

The 2023 American Psychological Association Work in America™ Survey found that 95 percent of U.S. workers say it is important to work for an organization that respects the boundaries between work and non-work time—a figure that climbs with age. 

I ask clients to visualize two literal doorways: one you “walk through” to start work, and one to leave it.

Maybe that’s lighting a specific candle before you open your inbox and blowing it out at 6 p.m.

Or physically closing your laptop and draping a scarf over it. Rituals tell the brain: context switch happening.

Boundaries aren’t selfish; they’re self-sustaining.

5. Expressing vulnerable emotions openly

“Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage,” Brené Brown writes.

Millennials and Gen Z grew up discussing mental health on TikTok, but if your parents taught you to “keep private matters private,” emotional transparency can feel foreign.

Clients in their sixties often hesitate to share loneliness, anxiety, or disappointment—even with spouses—because they equate disclosure with weakness. Y

et modern relationships thrive on explicit emotional language.

Practice labeling feelings out loud: “I’m overwhelmed about downsizing” or “I’m excited and nervous about becoming a grandparent.”

Start with low-stakes moments; over time your vocabulary (and comfort) expands, deepening connections instead of draining them.

6. Adapting to non-linear career paths

Looking back, this one probably deserved a higher spot on the list. Anyway…

Individuals born in the later baby-boom years held an average of 12.7 jobs from ages 18 to 56, according to a 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report.

Traditional “company-man” ladders—entry role to manager to director—are wobbling.

Skills expire faster, credentials carry shorter shelf lives, and job-hopping is normal.

One client sighed, “I used to be the expert—now I have to ask twenty-somethings to teach me new software.”

Here’s the mindset shift: experience is still currency. You’re not starting from scratch; you’re building on a robust foundation.

Identify transferable skills—mentoring, negotiation, process-building—and pair them with one new tool each quarter.

Think continual gardening rather than replanting the entire field every spring.

Resources like Coursera or local community-college workshops make upskilling affordable.

And don’t underestimate reverse mentoring: younger colleagues often welcome sharing tech tips in exchange for your wisdom on stakeholder management or industry history.

Final thoughts

If you recognized yourself in two—or all six—of these behaviors, take heart.

Change isn’t a sprint; it’s a series of intentional micro-adjustments. Choose one area this week and experiment.

Maybe you’ll delay email checks until after breakfast, or post a genuine LinkedIn update about a project you loved. Small wins snowball.

You might have read my post on setting healthier boundaries; the principles there dovetail nicely with today’s list.

And if codependent patterns muddy the waters, my book Breaking The Attachment: How To Overcome Codependency in Your Relationship offers step-by-step exercises to help you stand on your own sturdy feet.

At the end of the day, every generation faces its unique learning curve. The fact that you’re here, reflecting, already sets you apart.

Keep practicing curiosity, compassion, and the occasional tech tutorial—you’ve got this, friends.