Adulthood in the Life Cycle: Routines, Perceptions and Future Goals

SUMMARY

Maintaining productivity in the present while also preparing for old age places a significant burden on the middle-aged population. The temporal and financial costs of sustaining everyday life prevent this age group from fully engaging in active ageing practices.

This content examines adulthood within the life course through the lens of routines and perceptions. As the thematic section of the November ’25 Barometer, it explores society’s understanding of adulthood, practices of active ageing, assessments of health and stress, alcohol consumption, working and sleeping hours, and plans for later stages of life. In doing so, it provides insights and analyses into the lived experiences of the middle-aged population:

• At what age do you think a woman is considered an adult?
• At what age do you think a man is considered an adult?
• Which of the following do you do regularly?
• How would you rate your health on a scale from 1 to 5?
• Thinking about recent days, how would you evaluate your average daily stress level?
• On average, how many hours per week do you work?
• Daily sleep duration
• Do you consume alcohol? If yes, how often?
• Are there things you have not been able to do so far or have postponed, but plan to do in later stages of your life? If so, what are they?