Younger generations often poke fun at boomers for their old-school habits, but many of those ways were actually quite practical and helpful. It may be time to reconsider and bring some of them back, so we’ve shared certain boomer habits that deserve a place in today’s world.
Face-to-Face Conversations
Due to video calls, it’s becoming increasingly rare to see face-to-face conversations in real life, which always gives us more meaningful connections than digital communication. Engaging in real-life interactions fosters empathy and understanding, with many factors interacting with each other, such as body language. Video calls can be handy sometimes, but they’re not a healthy replacement, so face-to-face conversations need a comeback now.
Community Involvement
Another boomer habit that should be revived today is active participation in community events and organizations. Such activity significantly strengthens social bonds and community responsibility; it also leads to a more supportive community, something that any boomer can agree we need more of today.
Thrift Shopping
There’s no denying that online shopping is pretty handy these days, but we boomers used to love shopping in physical thrift stores, which we think needs to be revived. Thrift shopping is more affordable, and it gives new life to old items while bringing a lot of vintage character to your wardrobe and home. If Gen Z gave it a go, we think they’d love it.
Writing Letters
Anyone who has ever received a handwritten letter will know that they come with a sense of personal connection that just isn’t possible with digital communication. As Verywell Health lays out, the thoughtfulness and effort behind a handwritten note truly strengthens relationships, as genuine effort needs to be put in. So, we think this habit should come back, teaching modern kids a thing or two about genuine communication.
Home-Cooked Meals
These days, everyone seems to use delivery services excessively, which is pretty scary. Back in the day, boomers used to prepare home-cooked meals every single day, with take-out being a very rare treat. It promoted far healthier eating, more normalized portions, and plenty of family bonding, so while boomers still cook their meals at home, we think it’s about time they showed other generations how it’s done.
Reading Physical Books
While reading is still very popular, most kids nowadays use e-readers instead of physical books. This is a shame because physical books offer a break from today’s nonstop screen time, and the tactile experience of holding a book and turning pages can be more satisfying than scrolling through digital text. So, we think boomers need to help bring physical books back to the world.
Walking More
It’s not the kids of today’s fault that they don’t walk much–we’ve it way too easy for them to get cabs everywhere. However, walking more for errands and leisure promotes physical health and reduces carbon emissions, so we need to start incorporating walking back into our daily routines. When the kids see how much this saves the planet, maybe it will encourage them to join in.
Family Game Nights
We really do miss family game nights; they provided fantastic opportunities for us to bond and have fun away from screens. They encouraged teamwork, interaction, strategic thinking and consideration for others, so while they may not be as fancy as today’s video games, they sure taught us a lot more. We really think the world would benefit from their revival.
Listening to the Radio
Streaming services and podcasts have long since overtaken the popularity of the radio, but we think the kids are missing out. Radio shows were great thanks to the variety of content they provided, including music, news, and talk programs, all in one show. Radio is still around these days, and if the younger generation gave it a go, we think they’d enjoy it just as much as podcasts.
Cooking in Bulk
Everyone is all about saving money these days, so we should really bring back the boomer habit of cooking in bulk. It saves us time and money, reduces the need for frequent grocery trips and takeout meals, and even promotes the efficient use of ingredients. It’s packed with benefits, so if you haven’t made the switch already, it’s time to give bulk cooking a try.
Sending Thank You Notes
When we boomers were younger, we would always send thank you notes to people who gave us gifts or took us for a lovely day out. It’s heart-wrenching to see this habit disappear; these notes expressed gratitude and appreciation in a truly meaningful way, far more so than a text message ever could. We truly think society would be a better place if thank-you notes came back.
Using Public Libraries
These days, we can access any information we want online, stopping people from bothering with using public libraries. However, libraries don’t just offer free access to books, resources, and community events; they also offer a comfortable and safe space to learn, helping to foster a love of reading and continuous education. The world truly needs more of that today.
DIY Projects
Sadly, most people just buy things when they need them these days, rarely considering trying a DIY project. It’s a shame because these projects helped us learn all sorts of skills, regardless of whether we were working on home improvement, crafts, or just gardening. Such projects give us a true sense of accomplishment, so this boomer habit needs to be revived ASAP.
Unplugging Regularly
Boomers used to turn the TV off once they’d finished watching it, and that was it–no more screen time for the day. That would be pretty tough to achieve these days, as we all spend so much time on our phones, laptops, tablets, and other devices. However, everyone knows this can get exhausting, so it’s about time we start bringing back the act of unplugging our digital devices.
Supporting Local Businesses
The convenience of shopping online has, sadly, completely destroyed countless local businesses. No independent business can compete with the enormous warehouses and infrastructure of eCommerce giants. So, it’s about time we boycott those companies and begin to shop locally instead, choosing family-owned stores, independent restaurants, and farmer’s markets, just like we did in the old days.
Writing in Journals
Kids these days are all about mental wellness, yet many of them don’t even know about journaling. We boomers used to do this all the time; it encourages self-reflection and mental clarity by writing down thoughts, experiences, and goals, helping to reduce our stress and improve emotional health. It’s one of the few habits on this list that we can genuinely see Gen Z getting on board with.