Midlife crisis: how it is taken, and whether it is possible to deal with it

Hans Schwandt, a psychologist and researcher at Princeton University, wrote a column for the Harvard Business Review about the mid-life crisis. Why are we faced with this condition and how, according to Schwandt, it can be overcome - see this article.

midlife crisis can happen to anyone. Even with those who are happy with their work. You will immediately feel it. Productivity falls, the desire to work disappears and the desire to change their life becomes defective paramount.

And despite the fact that from the mid-life crisis affected large numbers of people, the answers to many questions there.

What are the causes?
Why it occurs it is in the middle of life?
How to deal with it?

illness studies began recently. A group of economists led by Professor Andrew Oswald of Warwick University foundThat satisfaction with their work for the average person falls in middle age. Not very good news, but we already knew. However, the researchers also found that after a certain time, job satisfaction increases again. This phenomenon can even sketch out a capital letter

later study showed that the U-curve - this is only part of the vast phenomenon. Such degradation has been detected in many people in more than 50 countries around the world.

Life satisfaction is high in youth, then slowly drops to 30 years, coming to a critically low value between 40 and 50, and again growing after 50 years.

U-curve affects everyone: how top executives of huge companies and factory workers or housewives.

In order to get answers to the voiced in the beginning of this article, Hans Schwandt analyzed the results of one of the German research. During his 23 000 people were interviewed between 1991 and 2004. Respondents were asked to rate satisfaction with life at any given time and to predict what it will be in five years.

Surprisingly, not all the participants of the survey accurately predicted their feelings in the future. It turned out that the young people set overly optimistic and expect a significant jump in the level of life satisfaction. Middle-aged respondents answered more reserved: in their opinion, they would have been middle class with a good job, a happy marriage and healthy children.

Excessive optimism at a young age can be explained in terms of science. Since the brain still is not enough experience and information for the analysis, it is difficult to correctly and efficiently to make a prediction.

When we grow up, it turns out that things are not exactly as we thought. Career is not built so quickly. Or we begin to earn more, but are unhappy with what we are doing. Because of this, the average age we are faced with disappointments and unfulfilled expectations.

Paradoxically, most of those who seemingly should complain less likely to suffer more than others. They are disappointed in themselves because they could not achieve their goals. Thereby falling into a vicious circle from which escape is not so easy.

But over time, the brain learns to move away from regret, as they do not bring the body to nothing but negative consequences.

At least, this is an unusual skill of our brain say last research. The combination of the fact that you finally accept your life as it is and does not regret living, allowing you to overcome a midlife crisis.

But who wants to wait 50 years to overcome the crisis? Fortunately, according to Schwandt, there are ways to cope with it much faster:

1. Understand that dissatisfaction with their work is normal and it is only a temporary phase of life.
2. Corporate culture, aimed at combating midlife crisis employees also It proves to be very useful: meetings with mentors, joint discussions and the creation of suitable conditions for workers.
3. Rate your current position, compare it with their expectations and to analyze what you are missing.

midlife crisis can become a painful part of your life, but it can also turn into an opportunity to re-assess their own strengths and weaknesses. Than it will be - it depends on what you will do: quietly wait for the time when everything will be fine, or will take matters into their own hands and do everything for their bright future.

Based on the articles and research Hans Schwandt