Digital Emergency

or digital numbness?

"I'm just so... tired."

If you're in digital marketing, you've either said this in the last 48 hours or heard someone else say it. And honestly? Who wouldn't be?

Just look at this week.

TikTok got banned in the US and came back, less than a day later.
Instagram decided squares were too 2024 and went rectangular, destroying countless aesthetic grids in seconds.
CapCut got cut off, sending creators scrambling to InShot, Filmora, and Descript

And it's all so overwhelming that we've started tuning out.

The digital emergency has flatlined into digital numbness. And this collective digital ennui (hat tip to Amanda of Sparktoro for naming it) is REAL.

It's this peculiar numbness to the next big online thing—because there isn't just one next big thing anymore. There are dozens. Hundreds. (Don’t get me started about AI.)

Even from outside the US, I feel it.

Like you, I’m no stranger to the wildly dynamic state of the internet right now. Though I honestly feel like an old person now, trying to comprehend PlayStation 5 games and Gen Alpha slang while keeping up with tech news…

But at least I have this ancient digital wisdom, which I am about to pour out here.

And you know what?

This digital chaos could be your first interesting plot twist of 2025.

Because while everyone else is letting change fatigue get to them, the playful ones are making this chaos their biggest advantage yet.

Like you and me!

Think of this issue as part therapy session and part strategic battle plan for whatever the internet throws at us next.

g✨!

⚡ Spark Notes: When chaos is a good thing

Our brains are being really smart right now, TBH.

When the brain is tired from constantly adapting to a chaotic life (or messy online landscapes for us), it triggers a mental pause.

This allows us to conserve energy and avoid burnout. This might seem counterintuitive, but this pause… the numbness… the slowdown… has a name.

It’s called Strategic Apathy, and it can actually be beneficial.

It forces us to prioritize, focus on our core values, and become more discerning about where we invest our energy in.

And as a 90s kid who has been on MIRC as “DeTacHed_DamE16”, I tell you it works. But here’s the science anyway.

🤓 The Science Of Strategic Apathy

Our brains have an actual "neural brake" system - the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) - that kicks in during information overload.

Think of it like your brain's bouncer. It decides what gets VIP access to your attention.

So this digital ennui isn't just random shutdown—it’s our brains helping us cope.

And the more we train it to be selective, the better it gets at identifying what deserves our energy.

And this is how we preserve our peace despite the chaos.

🎬 Strategic Apathy, Applied

It’s really all about asking ourselves, "Does this _________ spark joy... or just summoning anxiety?"

Replace ‘x’ with any digital medium you’re about to dive into. Say “marketing tactic”, “platform”, or even “course”.

But in case your inner ennui is numbing your brain right now, I’ve got ideas.

The Strategic Apathy Framework:

This is a similar game plan I follow for my personal yearly plans, the marketing plans I’ve created for SaaS clients when I was still doing fractional marketing work, and for creating email campaigns to get people moving.

For example, here’s how I assessed whether I’ll push with my Substack newsletter this 2025.

I. The Triage

Do a quick check if this is gonna be the right move theoretically (as all we do as marketers are really just experiments).

• Will this bring me closer to my goals?

  • Yes, this will help me reach new audiences organically.

• Will this matter in 90, 180, 365 days?

  • Yes, Substack is a growing platform.

• Will this lessen my overwhelm?

  • Yes, my short-form content adventures taught me I can commit and long-form will help me put structure in my content strategy.

II. The Power of No

Now that I know my priority this year, it’s easy to say No to trends that will pop up.

• LinkedIn short-form videos? Not right now.

• New AI tool? Not right now, unless it’ll help me write faster on Substack.

• Platform test on Bluesky? Not right now, we're ALL IN on Substack.

Though I will still be present and will distribute my content on LinkedIn, I certainly need to minimize my yapping on Facebook.

III. The Focus Formula

Now, make your game plan simple. Break down your big goals into tiny asks. And build your focus formula.

• One platform to own

  • Substack, obviously

• One message to amplify

  • The use of glimmers to build momentum

• One problem to solve

  • How to break down stuff to make it easier for people to move

• One simple content plan

  • 2x issues a month, Use reusable newsletter template

IV. The ROI Check

• Does this move the needle or just move your blood pressure?

• Is this strategy scalable or just scrollable? What can we change/do better?

• What’s our next focus? How can we level it up?

Yes, we want to be less overwhelmed, but we love progress too!

🧠 TL;DR: The Science of Strategic Apathy

Strategic Apathy: It’s the art of being deliberately unavailable to the non-essential so you can be extraordinarily present for what moves the needle.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed, let your brain do its job. And apply the framework below when the dust settles.

The Strategic Apathy Framework:

1. The Triage

   • Goal alignment check

   • 90/180/365 impact assessment

   • Overwhelm reduction audit

2. The Power of No

   • Clear priority setting

   • Trend resistance strategy

   • Platform focus optimization

3. The Focus Formula (Adjust the formula appropriately, depending on where you’ll apply it.)

   • One platform to own

   • One message to amplify

   • One problem to solve

   • One simple plan to execute

4. The ROI Check

   • Impact vs. anxiety assessment

   • Scalability verification

   • Sustainability confirmation

Here's the truth about 2025: In a world obsessed with digital emergencies, your strategic unavailability isn't just smart – it's your next unfair advantage. ✨

What resonated most with you?
Drop a comment below — I read and respond to every message!

And if you found value in this issue, would you consider sharing it with:

• Your marketing bestie who's having a quiet crisis over the latest platform drama

• That B2B founder whose marketing team is drowning in "urgent" pipeline building mode (We can help)

• Any tired digital marketer who needs to hear that strategic unavailability is actually genius

(But trust me on the “subscribe” button!)

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