Struggling to Focus at Work? (Issue 143)
When the world feels overwhelming, and your life starts to feel too small
You’re not being lazy.
Your attention span isn’t broken.
You are a normal human being thrust into the everyday chaos of a world that seems to have gone mad. I find it silly that many employers are acting as if this is business as usual, while the country is spinning out of control.
Heck, I would be more worried about you if you could focus at work, and weren’t impacted by what’s happening!
You may also be tired of playing it safe in a life that no longer lights you up. But you're afraid to admit it, and you don’t know what to do about it.
A feeling of weariness isn’t always about stress or pushing yourself too hard for too long. Sometimes, it’s about stagnation. Waking up to the same old life day after day after day. The same stressful news cycle.
You’re not drained because of what you’re doing at work. It’s more about what you are not doing. Your soul feels empty because what you’re doing doesn’t excite you anymore. It doesn’t feel meaningful. You don’t see the purpose of it all.
That’s not a sign of failure. It’s a clear signal that you need a change.
A signal that your life has become too small for who you are now. For who you want to be!
What might be happening
Many people blame “burnout,” but what you might be feeling is existential boredom. This is what happens when life gets too predictable, too safe, and too small for your current self. You thought you would be doing more with your life, and you long to do something bigger, better, and different. Sometimes we crave something different!
Comfort zones easily become cages. You probably built routines and systems to stabilize your life. To maintain financial security. To do what you thought you should be doing, because everyone else is doing it, too. But now, that golden cage is stifling you. What felt safe and comfortable yesterday now feels limiting.
Boredom differs from burnout, and it requires a different solution. If you’re actually bored instead of burned out, you might feel disconnected, fantasize about radical change (e.g., dreaming about running away to start a new life), and can’t remember the last time you felt truly alive.
You can’t ignore this problem for too long. Ignoring your boredom and unhappiness eventually leads to resentment and regret. It can bleed over into relationships and harm friendships and marriages. Sometimes people engage in super risky behavior to feel alive again.
It may even start impacting your physical and mental health, if it hasn’t already. Your body will eventually scream what your mind has been whispering. We are holistic systems. When your mind is unhappy for too long, aches and pains begin to creep into your physical frame.
There is good news! This problem is solvable. You don’t have to be stuck in this situation forever. You are ready for reinvention. You just need a new vision and a clear path forward.
I know that can feel a bit scary. The thought of shaking up your comfortable life feels overwhelming, even when it is no longer serving you well.
I’ve been in that situation a few times, most recently when I left my 20+ year successful corporate career behind to start my own business. I was worried and scared, but I also felt excited about a new beginning. I knew staying in my old life would kill my soul.
My new life has been amazing. I feel happier, healthier, and more fulfilled than ever before.
Talk with me
If your life feels like it’s been on autopilot, it’s time to take over and change direction.
I help people like you design lives that fit who they are now and who they want to become, not who they used to be.
Schedule a complimentary call with me and let’s chat!
I’m Larry Cornett, an Empowerment Coach who works with ambitious professionals to help them reclaim their power, become more invincible, and create better opportunities for their work and lives. Do more of what you love and less of what you hate!
📕 Check out my The Invincible Daily Journals!
