From Attention to Values: Why So Many Designers Feel Exhausted Before Their Careers Even Begin
Many interior design students feel tired long before they start their careers.
Not just physically tired—but mentally and emotionally drained.
They’re overwhelmed by:
Constant information
Endless inspiration
Career advice coming from every direction
Pressure to “keep up” online
And quietly, many are asking:
Why does everything feel so heavy already?
The Attention Economy Is Loud
We live in a world designed to compete for your attention.
Every platform, notification, algorithm, and headline is built to keep you engaged—scrolling, comparing, reacting.
Attention has become currency.
If something has your attention, it feels important.
If everyone is talking about it, it feels valuable.
But attention and value are not the same thing.
When Attention Replaces Values
Here’s the trap many students fall into—without realizing it:
If it has my attention, it must matter.
So we chase:
Titles that sound impressive
Firms that look exciting online
Careers that appear successful from the outside
Even when they don’t align with what we actually care about.
Over time, this disconnect creates exhaustion.
Because living according to attention—rather than values—requires constant effort.
Why So Many Designers Feel Anxious and Overworked
When everything feels urgent, nothing feels meaningful.
Students are expected to:
Build portfolios
Network
Maintain an online presence
Stay informed
Make “smart” career choices
All while trying to survive academically and financially.
It’s no wonder so many feel anxious, stressed, and burned out before their careers even begin.
The problem isn’t lack of ambition.
It’s lack of clarity.
Attention Is Loud. Values Are Quiet.
Values don’t shout.
They don’t trend.
They don’t demand immediate response.
They don’t come with notifications.
Values show up as:
What energizes you over time
What work feels meaningful, even when it’s hard
What you’re willing to protect—even when it’s inconvenient
When you lose touch with your values, everything starts to feel equally important—and equally exhausting.
What Actually Matters Gets Buried
In a world obsessed with visibility, status, and speed, it’s easy to confuse:
Being busy with being valuable
Being seen with being fulfilled
Being impressive with being aligned
But imaginary value—status, titles, external validation—can’t sustain a career.
Only real value can.
A Pause Before Part 2
At The Brand of You, we believe careers are not built by chasing what’s loud—but by understanding what matters.
Before making career decisions, before comparing paths, before chasing the next opportunity, there is value in asking:
What do I actually value—and why did I choose this profession in the first place?
In Part 2, we’ll explore how values—not attention—can become a steady compass for designing a meaningful, sustainable career.