We're going to take a break from our usual programming of the most fun/weird/dumb ads of the moment and talk about something that's been on my mind all day:

Why I've sucked at working this week.

Or (hopefully) why so many of us have felt that way. Did you feel weirdly sluggish and unproductive? Just kind of all-around disappointing, to yourself and the folks who rely on you?

Yeah, me too. And we're not alone.

A few hours ago, I tweeted about this feeling, and the response was immediate, vocal and consistent: We're all going through this.

Why? It's not because we're suddenly working from home or because our work lives have suddenly been disrupted by pandemic logistics. It's not the smoldering odor of our 401(k) balances.

It's because the state of the world has become a loud, grinding background noise that never leaves our heads. It's there when we go to bed and toss and turn all night. It's there when we wake up and instinctively check our phones, even though we know that's literally the opposite of self-care.

We are living through a historic moment, and it abjectly SUCKS. And unlike most of the historic moments we're used to, this isn't a one-and-done disaster. We're immersed every day in a choking miasma of uncertainty and anxiety, and yet we're holding ourselves to the emotional standard of any given Tuesday. 

It's Friday evening, and I bet there's a lot you didn't get done.

But guess what? That's totally fine. And no, I don't mean it's fine because you still have Saturday and Sunday to catch up. That's like when you burn your hand on hot food and then quickly shove it in your mouth before realizing, "Mmph wmf bmfh idmmff!"

Take a big breath. Forget that stuff. Go eat nothing but cheese for dinner or just gorge on those taquitos you found in the back of the fridge before your ill-fated Thursday Costco run. Go plug in your phone and promptly forget it exists until like noon tomorrow.

Go be something other than a worker. Think about something, anything, other than the flaming trashquake happening all around us. Find joy in human company, or in solitude. 

Be kind to yourself. Some weeks, it's OK to suck at your job. Some weeks, we just have to get through it all together.

David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com