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It’s not that you don’t care. It’s that you’re mentally exhausted
Comparing your pre-pandemic self to your current self is a slippery slope. While you might have once been a creative, enthusiastic professional who eagerly took on new projects and opportunities for growth, these days, putting on pants can feel like a feat. Especially for those who traditionally classify themselves as type-A overachievers, going through a low-energy period may be frustrating and, at times, scary since it’s so out of character.
Before you start to doubt your abilities, remember that nearly everyone is suffering from mental fatigue right now. That’s when we find it difficult to focus or keep our attention on a task because we are emotionally maxed out, says psychologist Yvonne Thomas.
Many people are feeling this way—and for a good reason. The pandemic presents the difficult challenge of accepting how little control we have over our day-to-day lives—or knowing when life will return to a more relaxed state. Plus, says Thomas, because of the ongoing threat of potentially contracting COVID-19, many of us may experience mental fatigue because we’re on high alert everywhere we go.
Los Angeles Psychologist Yvonne Thomas, Ph.D. was featured in the article “It’s Not That You Don’t Care. It’s That You’re Mentally Exhausted” visit fastcompany.com to read the full article.