I’m So Tired!
We had a 17-year-old in our house. She had been with us for about six months, and we started to see how the next generation thinks. She had many phrases like “I’m hongry.” Not hungry but hongry. She was from Arkansas.
“I’m bored” was another of her favorite sayings. Last but not least was “I’m tired,” which was interesting since she didn’t do much productivity-wise. Now, that was my humble evaluation. In her eyes, she was handling about all that she could take!
However, like so many others, I noticed she had her cell phone attached to her ear for hours a day! No wonder she was tired! (smile) Yet, I don’t think she’s alone. You can see it everywhere. The average cell phone user checks their devices 150 times a day. Why are we so obsessed with our gadgets? Is it our FOMO (fear of missing out)? Surveys are telling us now that 2/3 of corporate employees feel overwhelmed.
The average US worker spends 25% of their day reading or answering emails. We live in a world where constant messaging distracts us, and we always look for ways to share what we’ve done. I’m sure this has contributed to our short attention spans. I’m not an expert on where it comes from, but our attention span has decreased to the size of a gnat’s brain. The iPhone has been with us since 2007, and billions use smartphones today.
Plus, economists have told us that productivity in the United States workforce has decreased dramatically over the past decade. We are not as productive as we used to be. You may say this is hard to believe, and you may be right. I like what one fellow said: “We are not more productive; we just feel like we are.”
Call me old-school, but I grew up without cell phones, computers, or the Internet. I remember when Ben Farmer’s dad installed a mobile phone in his vehicle. We were inside a house having a party when someone’s horn began to sound. It was Ben Farmer’s phone ringing in his car! Imagine that: The car horn blew because his cell phone rang! (smile)
Where are we headed, and what does all this mean? We can curse the darkness, or we can light a candle. Someone told me years ago: “Find something you love to do, give yourself ten years to learn all you can about that subject, and someone will pay you the rest of your life to do what you love.”
I have found that to be true. The labor market is constantly changing around the world. Some jobs that we have today will soon be obsolete. Robots and computers will do a lot of our current assignments in the future. That is good news because many new jobs will become available.
Yet, people are worried about this. It seems grim for many people who try to gaze into the future. If you don’t believe me, do a Google search regarding future job security and see how many millions of people are concerned about their prospects. However, there are some steps to take today to position yourself for a better tomorrow.
Are you ready for it? My advice to you, my precious reader, is simple:
1.) You love talking on the phone. You love social media. You love posing for photos of yourself. Why don’t you use your beloved smartphone or computer to research new job opportunities in the areas you love?
2.) Then, immerse yourself in doing what you love the most for someone willing to pay you to do just that!
3.) You will be paid for doing what you are most passionate about. More than that, you will have some money in the bank, and you will no longer be “hongry!”
4.) Finally, it is my experience that being bored or tired is seldom a problem when working on projects you are passionate about!
I believe you can apply this wisdom to your life today! What do you say? It's up to you!
Catch you next time!
Thank you for reading. Please forward this to a friend or two. :-)