Work-life balance is a delicate matter that is equally in the hands of the employer and the employee. Boundaries and time management are the tricks to overcome this professional challenge. While work seems to be getting more stressful every day, so does time management due to the many distractions one faces in one’s life, especially the notification sounds of our phones or food. Cruz – who goes by @champagnecruze on TikTok – highlights how different generations react when their bosses ask them to work during their lunch break.
Cruz first embodies Generation Z (the generation from the 1990s to the 2010s), wearing a cool hat and sleeveless sweater. The Gen Z response to being asked to work during their lunch break is, “Immediately no. Decline. I’m not working during my lunch break. That’s toxic; it doesn’t provide work-life balance.” Gen Z immediately gets up from their chair and walks away while saying, “No, I’m going to go enjoy my lunch now.” Next up are the Millennials (the generation from the early 1980s to the late 1990s). Cruz takes the softer tone for the Millennials and sits in a bright turquoise hoodie and hat, holding a box of salad that needs to be constantly shaken, and says, “Why are they seriously scheduling this into my lunch break? Oh my God, this is literally the only hour I have to myself. Unbelievable.”
Cruz takes on the look of Generation X (the generation from the 1970s to 1980s), wearing a shirt and a winter hat, smiling sweetly, opening a can of Diet Coke and saying, “Oh yeah, no problem. Yeah, um, I was going to have lunch a little later anyway and I know this call is super important, right? So this is basically the only time we can meet, so yeah, no problem.” Next up are the Baby Boomers (the generation from 1946 to 1964), who are seen in a formal suit with a full body, a small belly and glasses to give off the look of a middle-aged person. Cruz nails this impression perfectly by keeping a big smile the entire time and playing a character who is desperate for recognition, saying, “Yeah, don’t worry, I’m happy to work through lunch. I have my chicken noodle soup right here.”
The video cuts back to the Millennials and the turquoise-clad employee is seen saying, “I’m here, but I don’t have a camera because I’m eating lunch,” and he rolls his eyes as he shakes his salad. Gen Z is seen making a video of their lunch, which is basically just chicken bone broth, and he says, “I’m going to try this guy. I got it from Creation, it’s supposed to be really good.” The video then cuts to Gen X, still happily sipping their Diet Coke, joking, “But thank God for Diet Coke, right? This guy here has gotten me through a few too many calls in the past.” The Boomer is still seen trying to impress his boss by saying, “I don’t leave my desk from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” adding a self-proud chuckle at the end, then continuing, “Plus, I can get ahead of schedule here and catch up on a few things.”
A hilarious montage of all generations concludes the video. The Millennial is still shaking his salad, then chewing on it and responding with total disinterest as he eats, “Hmm, hmm, sounds good to me.” Generation X is still sipping Diet Coke and the Baby Boomer is still trying to win over the boss by asking unnecessary questions to impress: “So, how’s your week going? Pretty good?” Back to Generation Z: No one is seen at the desk because they never agreed to it in the first place.
Laughter erupted in the comments section and debated over which generation was most accurate. @yoyowat1 said, “I think the most accurate is that the boomer scheduled the call.” Another user, @dimeyybaby, said, “Nah, why are we millennials so mad about doing our jobs?” While the portrayal of each generation seems relatable in some parts, it’s funny how Cruz tried to portray each character. It definitely got some laughs and also some lessons about boundaries.
You can follow Cruz (@champagnecruze) on TikTok for more lifestyle content.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on March 30, 2023. It has since been updated.
