Stay in Your Business: Focus On What You Can Control

Summers are supposed to be a time to slow down, recharge, and reflect, but it seems the world hasn't gotten the memo. The news constantly bombards us with issues, making us feel we must stay updated and have opinions on everything. This is exhausting. This is draining.

Now, while staying informed is of course important, it's also crucial to focus on what we can control. This idea, often called "stay in your business," means giving our full attention to things within our reach and letting go of things beyond our immediate control.

This can be challenging. For example, at work, you might face tight deadlines and high expectations. You can't control company policies, market conditions or a difficult boss, but you can control your effort, the quality of your work and how you interact with colleagues—the very actions that ultimately will determine your job satisfaction and future opportunities.

Similarly, if you're worried about the state of our society, joining a political party or activist group is commendable, but it's also important to focus on your immediate community. Before volunteering for broader causes, ask yourself if you're being the best parent, partner, friend, neighbor or colleague you can be. If not, perhaps it makes more sense to focus on improving these roles first.

It's in fact freeing to realize we can't solve all the world's problems. We might not fix climate change or world poverty, but we can help a neighbor, support colleagues or assist in organizing local events.

These “small” actions are anything but, and they can have a significant impact, far broader and deeper than you might initially believe.

"Staying in your business" doesn't mean ignoring the world; it means focusing on what's around you. This shift can turn exhaustion into energy, powerlessness into agency, and social media arguments into community participation. By focusing on small, intentional actions, we can improve our well-being, build stronger relationships and make a meaningful impact to the community we leave in.

So, stay in your business and see how it transforms your life. You might be surprised.