Cultural Shift For Australians With ‘The Great Slow Down’

The Great Slow Down: THE LAB Study Reveals New Collective Ambition for Australians

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, Australians are collectively striving for “The Great Slow Down,” a cultural shift that redefines success, prioritises work/life balance and seeks the beauty of simplicity.

This ambition was revealed in Slower, Surer, Stronger, the latest report from The Lab Insight and Strategy’s The Australia Project benchmark study, which examines Australians’ evolving attitudes, aspirations and values. This ambition marks a conscious departure from the relentless pursuit of productivity to a more mindful and intentional approach to living. The study revealed that 81 per cent of Australians are more focused on simplicity in their lives, while 61per cent of Australians think they need to resist the pressure of hustle culture in favour of leisure time.

This aspiration has emerged in response to the growing pressures of the cost of living, where 61 per cent of Australians agree that the pace of life is unrelenting, and only 1 in 2 Australians believe “the Australian dream is achievable for people like me”.

Executive director at The Lab, Rebecca Brody, said this collective yearning for simplicity and slowing down is a direct result of Australians no longer feeling the benefits of hustle culture. “While financial goals are still at the heart of many Australians’ aspirations, what we’re seeing more than ever is that Australians are looking to enjoy their lives and prioritise leisure, especially when they feel the demands of life are unsustainable, and the traditional markers of success no longer serve them,” she said.

“Australians are reconsidering what the point of pushing is if it doesn’t serve us or our wellbeing. But the tension lies in the fact that the pressures of day-to-day life don’t allow many Australians to achieve the balance they seek”.

“We’ve seen these attitudes permeating the cultural landscape throughout the year through the emergence of terms like ‘Bed Rotting’ and ‘Quiet Quitting’. And unsurprisingly, they also echo the biggest shifts in the top Australian values for this year”.

Slower, Surer, Stronger revealed the top Australian values for 2023, informed by The Australia Project’s yearly values tracker. While Honesty, Safety and Loyalty led the list, Comfort and Confidence soared into the Top 10 for the first time. The value of Comfort experienced the biggest growth, jumping from 23rd to 9th place.

Brody said there is a real opportunity for brands to be guided by these growing values to help consumers ease the tension between the relentless demands of daily life and their desire to lead a life that is healthy and fulfilling.

“The findings from Slower, Surer, Stronger offer brands a powerful insight into the unmet needs of Australian consumers in 2023, enabling them to create a positive impact in their lives,” she said. “The report also highlights four macro-opportunities for brands rooted in Comfort and Confidence, as well as industry-leading examples of brands harnessing these values”.

“At a time of mounting uncertainty, brands have the power to become beacons of Comfort and Confidence. They need to support consumers in embracing these values to stay relevant and resonate in a deeply meaningful way”.

Slower, Surer, Stronger was compiled using data extracted from The Australia Project’s benchmark study of 2000 Australians and collided against the Lab’s cultural insight repository, which includes 11 years of historical findings and the Lab’s AI-driven 135 Cultural Through Lines.

The Lab Insight & Strategy uses findings from The Australia Project to help their client partners design powerful business strategies, develop fresh positionings, create innovation and disrupt categories.

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