I'm not sure if there is more to be stressed about these days and it wasn't always the case that a job could be left on a Friday and another one found on the Monday: people who have experiences a few recessions in the seventies and subsequently will confirm that, I'm sure. And although rents were possibly lower people didn't have luxury goods that are considered to be almost necessities these days, including cars.
Schlepping to work via a combination of Shanks's Pony and more than bus could be very time-consuming and many activities carried out by machinery and technology was more manual previously.
However, it's all relative and we have different expectations and pressures these days.