A Break From Regularly Scheduled Programming...
I've been out of your inbox for a while. It's been a wild month for me; one that's been full of anxiety and reflection. Out of appreciation for your subscription, I felt an obligation to deviate from our usual discourse and focus on something different. Yes, there's a selfishness to the topic as well... I am writing this as part of a significant, complex effort to release toxic energy and become a better version of myself. I hope that you receive it in a way that helps you, too.
You need a break or you will break.
I believe that statement. We live in an unending world; amidst unyielding media and irrepressible culture. It's truly everything, everywhere, at once. All the time. It's no wonder that we often struggle to keep pace. We scratch, claw and stumble from one moment, one day, one week to the next. The numbers don't lie: one in four adults suffer from a diagnosable condition in a given year.
I've worked in social media and digital marketing for over twenty years, and I've never seen the pace cool. Like the robots once said - it's harder, stronger, and faster constantly. Again, the numbers don't lie. Digital ad spending has risen nearly 5X in the last decade. More than half of the world is active online, and active for two to three hours a day. Companies make weekly changes to their black-boxed algorithms, and we tear our hair out trying to figure out what's different.
Working in marketing nowadays can feel like it is all-consuming. You will lie down at night and wonder, "is there even an OFF switch to flip?" This isn't healthy. It doesn't generate more productivity to be always plugged in.
Most companies will acknowledge this. They'll state that for us to perform in our roles to our full potential, we need to have "balance." We need to be "whole humans." Not just ATMs that dispense machine-like value. Many companies will write this into their values. My experience is that it's a lot of hot air. Few companies truly embody the concept, and those are a rare, special breed. I wish it weren't the truth, but it's time to face reality.
The truth is that time is precious, and attention is priceless. Too many times I see leaders get stuck on how precious their time is that they forget about the employees in their charge. They don't offer their attention. Until there's a problem that's beyond repair. I've experienced this myself. It's disorienting. You begin to question yourself, even when your history tells you to trust in yourself.
Most people faced with a situation like this will try to dig even deeper. The instinct for most is that more, harder work solves the problem. It won’t. Because next time, more will be expected. At some point, you won’t have more to give. There’s only 24 hours in every day. So when you inevitably plateau, it won’t be seen as rising to a new level of success; it’ll be construed as not doing enough to reach the next level… even if there is no next level.
Too much attention on work pulls time away from what really matters - who we are as humans. Toxic work vibes can ripple into the home. Inattention can fray relationships. Burnout will degrade your heart and mind; slowly perhaps, but as certain as death and taxes. I'm encouraged to see that "hustle culture" appears to be fading out of favor. Good. Your work should enhance your life, not define it. Anyone who tells you otherwise is someone who has not done a lot of reflection and isn't valuing your best interests as a priority. Including your current employer.
Do yourself a favor - make space for taking space. Use that space to reflect, or to re-charge. Make time for a special interest you enjoy. Schedule a mindfulness moment. Shoot a text or call someone you care about. Log off, literally and figuratively. Take a mental health day, for cryin' out loud. Now, I know you might think, "easy to say - what about my boss who's grinding on me? What about my company's culture that prioritizes constant action?"
I have a fool-proof, three-step process to help you navigate such questions. Here it is 👇🏻:
- Look into a mirror.
- Ask yourself, "is it worth it?"
- Tell yourself the truth.
And if you need a sounding board... you know where to find me. Good luck and good vibes to you from the universe. 🤗⚡️🌌
PS: I’m moving to Substack. TL;DR is that it’s an easier platform for me to curate and grow. No need for you to do anything except keep reading… 🙏
