When the World’s on Fire and You Still Have to Answer Emails

Let’s be honest… living the United States… it’s a lot right now.
Everywhere you look, there’s violence, bigotry, tragedy, and heartbreak on repeat. It feels like the world is on fire, and somehow you’re supposed to care about… replying to emails? Updating spreadsheets? Acting like your brain isn’t screaming “how does any of this matter?”

If you’ve been sitting at your desk, staring blankly at a to-do list, and wondering how to function while the world feels like it’s unraveling — you’re not alone.

Collective Burnout Is Real

What you’re feeling isn’t weakness or lack of resilience. It’s called collective trauma, a shared emotional exhaustion that happens when we’re constantly exposed to suffering.
Even if the pain isn’t happening to you, your body still feels it. Our nervous systems weren’t built for a 24/7 feed of distressing content.

Research shows that chronic exposure to traumatic news can heighten anxiety, disrupt sleep, and lead to emotional numbing, that flat, “I don’t feel anything anymore” state that so many people are in right now.

You’re not broken for feeling this way. You’re having a human reaction to an inhuman level of stress.

You’re Allowed to Struggle With the Small Stuff

It makes total sense that you can’t immediately switch gears from grief to Google Calendar.

The world feels absurd, and it’s okay to say that out loud. There’s nothing wrong with you for feeling disconnected, irritated, or emotionally fried.

So What Can Actually Help? (A Few Grounding, Research-Backed Ideas)

• Unplug with intention.
  Social media keeps us informed, but too much exposure can increase anxiety and hopelessness. The APA recommends setting clear boundaries around your media use. Try checking the news once or twice a day instead of every scroll. Give your nervous system a chance to reset.

• Name three small good things.
  Gratitude isn’t about ignoring pain, it’s about noticing what’s also true. Studies show that practicing gratitude (even writing down three small things that didn’t totally suck today) can lower stress and improve mood over time. Think: “my coffee was hot,” “my friend texted back,” “the sky looked pretty.” Tiny, real, human stuff.

• Reach out to someone who gets it.
  Connection is medicine. Research consistently shows that social support buffers against burnout and depression. Text someone who makes you feel seen, no fixing required, just shared humanness.

• Do one gentle thing.
  Not a self-improvement, self-care thing. A kindness-to-yourself thing. Step outside, stretch, sit in silence, pet your dog, breathe. Your body needs cues of safety before it can focus again.

• Lower the damn bar.
  It’s okay if your best right now looks like “bare minimum.” You’re surviving a constant stream of collective stress. That’s not laziness, that’s capacity.

You Can Care Deeply and Still Protect Your Peace

You don’t have to pick between compassion and self-preservation.
You can hold outrage, heartbreak, and exhaustion and still choose to step back when you need to.
You can be aware without being consumed. (a delicate balance these days)

The world is hard right now. You deserve to have space for softness, too.

If you’re feeling stuck, numb, or just worn out from carrying it all, you don’t have to do it alone. The therapists at Moxie Mental Health are here to help you make sense of the mess, find grounding, and reconnect to yourself… even when everything feels heavy.

Book a session here and let’s find your footing again, together.