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JANUARY OFTEN BRINGS change, and politics, commerce and technology at the start of 2025 signals significant shifts. The US welcomes back President Trump, who has already started executing a significant plan for change.
After weeks of talks, and a prickly start in the Dáil, a new Irish Government has finally been formed, though many believe the plans for change are vague. In Europe, there have been changes in French political leadership, and there is an expected change in Germany. While much of these shifts will take some time to inform policy and the day-to-day lives of citizens, as we start out 2025, there will be some influence on how people think about the year ahead.
In Ireland, Christmas remains a relatively universal break from work email interruptions, school drop-offs and the endless to-do list. Then the start of the year reveals many behaviours which are a response to the time we had to reflect over this collective break. In 2025, the level of external change in our lives will also influence the decisions or intentions we make for the year ahead.
People feel more confident when they believe they can predict or influence outcomes. In behavioural science, the “locus of control” refers to whether people see outcomes as driven by their own actions (internal locus) or by external forces.
Ambiguity aversion, a concept explored in Daniel Ellsberg’s 1961 “Paradox” paper, shows that people prefer known risks over ambiguous ones, even when the expected outcomes are similar. These highlight discomfort with uncertainty.
Combining these ideas, we can identify four types of responses to the changes that will occur in 2025. Two individuals may both fear risk but respond differently: one takes control (internal locus), while the other feels powerless (external locus). Similarly, among those unconcerned by change or uncertainty, one feels in charge, while the other trusts external stability.
There are three themes worth considering in the context of managing change in 2025. It is worth exploring the Irish data on changing behaviours across personal well-being, technology and work.
After the feast of Christmas, many of us review our health. Every January, gyms double their membership, fitness classes become full and the majority of health insurance is renewed. While we’ve moved away from diet culture, Google Trends data show that searches for “fitness” and “health” related topics rose by 20% compared to the rest of the year.
In the past decade, we have seen a shift from diet culture to a more holistic view, with people, particularly younger adults, embracing wellness and a broader focus on their well-being. At the start of this year, search volumes have risen for “meditation,” “journaling,” “run club” and “sober curious.”
In January, there are intentions to focus on managing what we can control, set habits for the year and be realistic in terms of what can be achieved. Personal health management is a central priority for people in Ireland, and when a world feels out of control, feeling good, in mind and body is a way to have a sense of autonomy.
An area which Irish people are critiquing more is technology. In a report published by Core Research in January 2025, 42% of people aged under 40 expect to use AI in their everyday lives, but with a concern that technology is dominating our lives, more people of the same age (50%) are claiming they want to switch off technology and screens more often in 2025.
While time spent online is steady or rising, specifically video streaming and social media, there is clearly a desire across generations to manage the influence of technology on their lives and take back control.
Despite this ambition, the Core PREDICT 25 report highlights that parents believe mobile devices will still be purchased by parents for children under 16 years old. While there has been much discussion about a “gen-free” approach to technology, only one in five parents think this shift will occur, and parents will not stop purchasing connected devices for children.
The third area which people reflect on at the start of the year is their work life and its balance with personal priorities. This area is interconnected with personal well-being and technology, with the always-connected culture a reality for many.
As we start 2025, President Trump and employers are directing workers to attend the office five days a week. In contrast, Irish workers seek a balance between productivity and personal time. 58% of those under 40 years old say they intend to continue to “working remotely or from home” for some of their working weeks, and despite employer demands, 48% believe “people will work more from home, than the office” in 2025.
For workers not content with their current workplace, Google trends data shows that searches related to “career management,” “new job” but also “work burnout” rise by 13% in January every year.
The Core PREDICT report notes 58% of workers aim to “work less to enjoy life.” However, limited confidence in cost-of-living improvements means workers also need to prioritise secure, well-paying jobs. While AI might automate tasks and boost productivity, it could also threaten job security.
Despite predictions in 1930 from economist John Maynard Keynes of 15-hour workweeks, average paid hours in 2025 stand at 32.8 hours. Research conducted on income, work and life satisfaction shows that for Irish households, annual incomes above €117,900 offer little added life satisfaction, with €70,740 to €88,425 sufficient for emotional well-being. Approximately one in three Irish households would fall into this category. This raises the question: could 2025 see more high earners prioritising life over work?
There are growing concerns about US corporate investment in Ireland, and the impact it could have on employment and tax revenue, so we may see a swing back to people prioritising job security over choice.
However, if there is a change in how people are spending their time beyond paid work, could we see a rise in doom-scrolling and online video viewing, being pulled back into an algorithm we are trying to cut back from?
Or, might we see a continued focus on well-being, spending more time outdoors, and prioritising health? While there are significant external political, economic and technological forces influencing changes in 2025, it will be people who choose to what extent they adapt or evolve to meet these changing demands.
Finian Murphy is a Researcher and Strategist focused on public sentiment, culture and communities.
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