5 Power Moves to Stay Focused While Politics Spins Out of Control

Master the art of tuning out the chaos, so you can create, thrive, and leave the distractions behind

Ah, politics—it’s like a bad brisket: tough, overcooked, and no matter how much you chew, it still gives you heartburn. And the way people obsess over it? Like it’s the Holy Grail. News flash: It’s not the cure for your tsuris (troubles). You think scrolling through Twitter (or whatever that Elon Musk guy is calling it these days) at midnight is going to save democracy? Well, Musk, Schmusk! You’ll just end up plotzing (exploding with emotion), crying into your pillow, and waking up with a headache that even Bubbe’s chicken soup can’t fix.

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How to Stay Focused (and Avoid Becoming a Nebbish (pushover))

1. Treat Politics Like a Pushy Salesman.
   Smile, nod, and slowly back away. It’s all bupkis (nonsense) anyway—lots of promises, no delivery. The news yells, “The world’s ending!” and you’re supposed to drop everything? Relax. The world’s been ending since my Uncle Morty bought a secondhand car with no brakes—and he’s still driving it.

2. Don’t Let Politics Be the Schmaltz (excessive sentimentality) in Your Life.
   Life’s a buffet, and politics is like gefilte fish: you can have a little if you must, but don’t fill your plate with it. Save room for the good stuff—your dreams, your passions, your work. And trust me, no one lies on their deathbed saying, “I wish I’d watched one more pundit yelling on cable news.”

   These first two strategies lay the foundation, but the real breakthroughs are in the next three moves. Here’s how to completely shift your focus and leave the noise behind...