Do you feel like everyone is starting a blog, Tik Tok, Instagram or YouTube channel lately? It can seem like everybody you know wants to be an influencer or travel blogger. I’m not knocking these entrepreneurs or creatives in any way. In fact, I’m a wannabe content creator myself.
Recently, I asked my Instagram followers why they travel. I received valid answers such as meeting new people, tasting different food and having unique experiences. These are all great reasons to hit the road, but among them are the unspoken and more negative reasons that people want to travel full time and become influencers, content creators and travel bloggers.
Read on to find out why it feels like everybody wants to be an influencer right now.
Modern life is not naturalÂ
Many people are becoming increasingly frustrated with the limitations of full-time work. The 9-5 grind provides little control over schedules and only an inflexible amount of annual leave per year. An entire generation of people find the traditional concept of going to the same job at the same time every day completely soul-sucking.
The reason is that day-to-day life is not natural or normal and most people want more freedom. When people get paid to travel and take photos of beautiful places as an influencer, they get to live life on their own terms. They have the freedom that most people stuck in a corporate office job crave. It’s an enviable life.
Humans have an innate desire to relax and have the freedom to pursue their interests outside of work. However, modern work culture often demands long hours and constant availability. This leaves little time for rest and relaxation or nurturing developing any creativity. Humans are naturally creative. Long hours in the office allow for little time to paint, write or have an outlet for creativity that many people crave.
This can lead to burnout, stress, and a lack of work-life balance. As a result, many people are seeking alternatives to the traditional 5 day work week.
Introverts and sleep patterns
It is estimated that approximately one-third to one-half of the population are introverts. On top of this, around 40-50% of the population struggle with early mornings, because they are not naturally a morning person.
At any given time a company will have approximately half of their workforce working against their natural and biological preferences. Being told when to wake up, when to eat, clock in and out. This set up is not ideal to most people and also decreases productivity.
The 5 day work week is a relatively recent invention. So many people want to become influencers or content creators, because it allows them to escape the monotony that modern life enslaves us to. Many freelance influencers and content creators work hard, but they work when they are most productive. That might mean late nights for some, or early mornings for others.
Modern day jobs often won’t allow this flexibility. The times you need to work and be productive are most likely not the hours that many people are most productive. This leads to burnout and fatigue and a desire to find a job that fits around your schedule.
It’s not that people don’t want to work, but rather, they crave the freedom to have more control over their own lives and schedules. The role of a content creator or influencer provides exactly that.
It’s not all about money
A few decades ago, money used to be the primary motivation for work. However, we have now transitioned into a period where wellness, flexibility, and freedom are becoming highly important in a person’s job search.
Until more companies offer greater flexibility to their employees, the life of an influencer will continue to be attractive to many. The role of an influencer is a well-paid freelance role. Unfortunately, many traditional employers do not offer the option for a flexible work schedule, or to even work less than a full-time commitment. Employees are often expected to give approximately 40 hours per week, or else they have to settle for low-paying gig-type economy jobs. There is little middle ground for those seeking a better work-life balance. Being a freelance influencer allows for this freedom that so many people crave.
Covid changed our mindset
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift from office to remote work, but many people feel that the change is not happening quickly enough. The most searched-for jobs are those that offer work-from-home or remote contracts. People are increasingly seeking alternatives to the traditional office environment.
The daily commute and eating lunch at a desk is no longer desirable, and introverts may find it exhausting to be constantly surrounded by people.
Remote work offers flexibility and increased control over your life and schedule. Freedom and autonomy is what people desire. The traditional work schedule does not allow for this kind of freedom. It is the reason that so many people want to work as an influencer or content creator. They want to live a life on their own terms that isn’t dictated by an employer.
Humans want to pursue passions for more than just 20 days per year. They want to live a life that allows for creativity as opposed to being caged in a concrete block for 5 days a week.
The simple answer as to why so many people want to become influencers is that modern life is not conducive to pursuing passions and living a full life. Modern life forces a high number of people into exhaustion and burnout.
Many are merely surviving as opposed to thriving. Who wouldn’t want to pursue a different way of living?
If you liked this, you might also be interested in reading about why people hate working 5 days a week here.
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