Why it matters: True burnout, the sincere lack of motivation and energy for work, can be addressed not by more rest, but by novelty. Whimsy is one way to approach novelty, and this is one trend that we can all get behind at work or at home.
First, it was just one video. But then there was another, a third, a fourth... and suddenly I realized whimsy wasn’t just a Gen Z cry for attention but a trend of distinct purpose.
I’m a whimsical b*&$# some might say. Whimsical, juvenile, simple, youthful, optimistic (but said with a slight tone). You name it- I’ve heard the whispers and sometimes the outright sarcasms.
For friends this aspect of personality is not a deterrent, it’s endearing and fun. But the world does not reward those who can not stay in their adult-driven, hyper-responsible, expected and predictable lane.
The Novelty Experiment started with the focus of giving people permission to be human-centric at home, as much as they are at work. This doesn’t always strike traditional people as a necessity, since being human seems an obvious way to exist as humans. How could one not be human, if human?
That’s the implied resistance I experience when discussing novelty with “business professionals,” and it’s often difficult for me to fully articulate (or perhaps persuade) how as workers we’ve forgotten that we are not designed to revolve around work.
Enter the new trend: whimsy.
