Time to read: 76 seconds
Vintage is more fun that stock photos of random models in an office
The world is a lot right now. You still have a 9am. Let's talk about that.
This week, I want to acknowledge something out loud: it is genuinely hard to care about your inbox when it feels like everything outside is on fire. You are not weak for feeling distracted. You are human. A very tired, caring human.
You've told me you're struggling to focus. That you sit down to work and your brain is somewhere else entirely. That you feel guilty for worrying about a deadline when bigger things are happening. I hear you. I've been there too, as I've written about.
Here's what I want you to know: showing up to your work right now is an act of courage. Not the dramatic kind. The quiet, unglamorous kind — where you make the coffee, open the laptop, and do the thing anyway.
A few ideas for getting through the day:
- Give yourself five minutes before the noise begins. Close your eyes, put your fingers on the keyboard so everyone thinks you're working, and breathe.
- Pick one person you get to help today. Start there. The rest will follow.
- Step away from the headlines for a few hours. The world will need your attention later. Right now, so do the people in front of you.
- Be embarrassingly patient with yourself and the people around you. Everyone is carrying something you can't see.
You don't have to be unaffected. You just have to be present. And on the days when even that feels like too much, just show up. That counts.
Please email me and tell me how you're really doing. I always want to know. Really and truly.