Our societies are experiencing a mental health crisis. Stress, burnout, loneliness, and depression are all on the rise. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 12 billion working days are lost each year worldwide due to depression and anxiety, at a cost of US$ 1 trillion per year in lost productivity.

Growing awareness of this mental health crisis is leading to action. Some governments are allocating funds to improve the mental health of their populations and bring mental health care on par with physical health care.

The EU, for example, adopted a Mental Health Plan in 2023 that includes 20 flagship initiatives to improve mental health and prevent or treat mental health problems. The US Surgeon General also has numerous programs in place and has invested billions to improve access to mental health services. 

Because social relationships are such an important source of a meaningful life (see chart), especially spending time with people in person, we may see a revaluation of physical social activities, such as sports, festivals and other places where people meet and interact with each other.

Furthermore, since work is another important source of well-being, people will also look for ways to find more joy and meaning in their work. This has led to a significant shift in the labor market, with traditional 9-to-5 jobs slowly giving way to more flexible careers.

Technology plays a pivotal role in the shifts in the labor market. Social media and creator platforms, such as Etsy (handmade products), Substack (writers and journalists), and Fiverr (freelance services) could merely be the first wave of platforms that help people to explore their talents and creativity and monetize these opportunities.