The Netherworld

Why it's so hard to focus.

Recently I went to?Netherworld, a famous Haunted House in Atlanta, known for its special effects, costumes, and knack for making even the biggest skeptics let out a yelp of surprise. I don’t love visiting haunted houses—I love?having?visited them. But this year, my niece asked me to go, and I’m the aunt who says yes.

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I knew I’d be fine—at worst, a little stressed out from being startled. But my unease grew as I thought about how uncomfortable the experience would make me feel. Here’s the good news: the actors don’t touch the guests. Here’s the bad news: they scare the heck out of you, even just standing there. Look at these costumes!

They blend into the background, and you don’t see them until they step in front of you, catching you off guard. Yowls of surprise fill the air before you recognize it came out of your throat.

I had three involuntary responses. When I knew someone was lurking, my chest tightened, and I couldn’t make a sound. My funniest reaction came when a character started me: I screamed and danced a short jig that looked like I was running in place for three steps. I guess a surge of adrenaline shot straight to my feet. My oddest reaction was pointing at actors and shouting, “NO!” as I stepped into the room – as if they would listen. I forgot the silent agreement that comes with haunted houses: people surprise you. That probably made them get in my face.

The complete darkness of these rooms numbs your senses. Lights flash, horns blare, doors slam, and puffs of air hit your neck. Things hang from the ceiling and tickle your head. Air-inflated pillows squeeze you, while exhaust hangs thick in the air from an actor revving a chainsaw. The flooring even turned squishy in some sections.

The more that happened around you, the harder it was to focus. Every detail was a distraction from the ultimate scare: someone jumping out in front of you.?

It took about twenty minutes to walk through the haunted house. As we stepped under the exit sign and into the air that was twenty degrees cooler, I thought, “Phew! Done—I can check that box now.” Then I heard, “Are you ready to go to the second haunted house?”?

“THERE’S ANOTHER ONE?!!?”

“Yeah, but it’s much easier than this.”?

Dear reader, it was not. It was a haunted house all about clowns. I don’t have a fear of clowns, but these were creepy!

The clowns wouldn’t leave you alone until you talked to them, said hi, and did a little dance with them. All they got from me was “NO!” and my stress jig.??

By the end of the night, I had stretched out the back of my niece’s sweater from holding it tightly. My ears were ringing, my throat was raw and sore from screaming, and I was exhausted.

One thought kept nagging at me on the drive home: uncertainty is expensive for the body.?

I’ve shared?that sentiment?before, borrowing from Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett. We don't react to our environment, we predict it so we can respond. Neurons continuously fire based on how we make sense of things and in anticipation of what we think will happen. When we're right, that neural pathway is strengthened. When we're wrong, the prediction error is noted and more energy is spent reacting. The more uncertain the circumstances, the more energy is consumed trying to make sense of things.

Energy is our limited commodity, not time.

We all have the same twenty-four hours, yet our experiences and what we are able to do in them vary wildly, often based on how uncertain our day-to-day feels.

Over the past six months, I started to notice a pattern for my clients. Many faced layoffs and restructuring. Roles were shuffled, long-term plans drafted to eliminate layers, and some reduced their workforce by 10 – 20%. Mumbles of recession, returning to offices, and AI were blamed. But that’s not entirely true. Many companies still cascade goals for their performance management—are they really implementing AI that replaces jobs? Often, these impacts result from poor leadership decisions. Changes that should have been made long ago but weren’t. Companies are taking dramatic steps to improve their position, and they should. But there is a cost.

A friend was told her job was being eliminated. She had to interview for another position and wouldn’t know the outcome for weeks. That uncertainty took a toll, affecting her sleep, appetite, and focus. Millions are experiencing similar stress. Even if their company hasn’t announced layoffs, a lack of clarity and communication can make it hard for people to concentrate. ?

Two massive hurricanes hit the United States within a few weeks. Millions have been under storm threats and dealing with the aftermath. Several hundred thousand still do not have electricity or clean water. Towns in Tennessee have been washed away, and many are still missing. The ongoing uncertainty has left millions feeling frayed.

The upcoming presidential election in the US is adding extra noise, as it always does. September is known as a PR nightmare month because it kicks off a busy news cycle. Even if none of the news directly impacts you, the sheer volume can weigh on you. Like in the haunted house, the more that happens around you, the harder it is to pay attention.

This isn’t an “unprecedented time.” We’ve fundamentally changed how we interact with information, and we’re struggling to adjust.

Gone are the days of tuning into the news or reading the morning paper. Now it’s in your back pocket, pinging all day long.

And people have life events they’re navigating—things we often don’t and won’t know about. If you’re feeling like you’re in a haunted house with a clown chasing after you, you aren’t alone! Last year I talked about?why it’s hard to focus, and I wanted to a few tips I’m giving the leaders I coach:

Plan your weeks by your energy

Be mindful of when you feel most alert and when you’re depleted. Set up your weeks to make the most of your energy. Plan two or three weeks ahead to have more control over your schedule.?

Writing and creating content requires complex thinking for me – so I schedule those in the morning when I’m freshest. I also keep a running list of tasks for low-energy times, like processing expenses. I know my deepest thinking happens on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, while Mondays and Fridays are better for interpersonal energies. I structure my week to maximize those rhythms. ?

Take a smoke break

Know why smoke breaks are so calming? People are standing outside, in nature, taking deep breaths for ten minutes. Do that a few times a day—just without cigarettes.?

Recognize capacity

There are times when people have the capacity to tackle things, and days when focusing is a struggle. That is ok. Check in on your teams. Is anyone feeling particularly frayed? Do you have someone metaphorically yelling “NO!” like I did at the clowns? What can be stopped, reshuffled, or even reprioritized?

Uncertainty can feel like wandering through a haunted house, where every turn holds a new scare, and the tension never quite lets up.? But the good news is that this is temporary. The only way out is to keep moving forward. Be kind to yourself and those around you.

If you or someone you know is looking for a job,?download my free job search guide?for practical tools and checklists to help you move forward with confidence.

In-Person Workshop

I am giving a storytelling workshop at the?Greenwich Library?on Saturday, November 2nd.?Registration is required for this event. I will also be signing books.?I'd love to meet you if you are in the area!?

You May Have Missed:?

• Why "One Size Fits Most" isn't helpful in Halloween Costumes.
• The?four-part structure?to telling great stories.
• Where?you may be losing people?in your presentation and what to do about it.

Get Started With?Storytelling?

• Order?THE PERFECT STORY.
• Take?our free assessment?to determine your storytelling approach.
• Download the free?Job Search Tools Guide.
• Check out the?Jumpstart Your Storytelling?course.
• Listen to any of my guest appearances on podcasts through my?Spotify Playlist.