Why LinkedIn Makes Professionals Feel ‘Not Enough’ And How to Reclaim Your Focus
Why LinkedIn highlights hide the burnout, stress, and self-doubt behind every smiling post
Everyone seems to be winning awards, launching something new, or smiling like they’ve cracked the secret to life. It’s hard not to compare. Let me share you a story for the survival of these dark winter months.
Scrolling LinkedIn and Feeling ‘Not Enough
Anyone else dreaming of a simpler life before self-promotion and social media? These days, links are contagious, comparisons are through the roof, and perfection seems to be everywhere. The Kardashians still manage to look flawless, CEOs post sunrise meditations, and business awards seem to appear everywhere online, and if there is none, we make up a new one.
And then there’s LinkedIn, the digital home of professionals. Scroll for sixty seconds and you’ll find leaders, founders, and coaches with impressive titles, perfect smiles, and glowing teams. At first glance, everyone seems to have it all together. Is this even true? As a workplace coach talking to many professionals who struggle at work, I know it isn't. Take a closer look, and the picture becomes far less perfect.
As a highly sensitive person and empath, I often feel the world more deeply than most. Some days it’s inspiring. Other days, my emotional bucket is simply full. The thought of switching everything off, driving to a little cottage, and living quietly off-grid sounds tempting. But like many of us, there’s a mortgage to pay, children to bring to school, and work that needs doing. So we keep going.
If you’re reading this and feeling low about your own achievements, please know this: nobody has it all together. Especially not the coaches, therapists, and “mindset experts” of the world. After eight years in coaching, I can tell you that many of us began this work after a personal crash. We learned to hold space for others because we once needed that space ourselves.
The Myth of Online Success
Research shows that social media often paints a distorted picture of success. One 2022 review in Frontiers in Psychiatry found that problematic use of social networking sites is associated with higher levels of anxiety and lower self‑esteem.
Zoom Exhaustion and low Self Esteem
Why? Because platforms like LinkedIn highlight achievements and hide the messy bits, the rejections, tears, and nights staring at the ceiling, wondering what’s next.
Behind every smiling post, there is often burnout, exhaustion, and the quiet fear of not being enough.
Why Zoom and Social Media Exhaust Your Brain
Stanford University’s research on “Zoom fatigue” explains why we feel so mentally drained. Too much eye contact on video calls puts the brain into a state of alert. Constantly seeing your own face triggers self-criticism, known as “mirror anxiety.” And sitting still in front of a screen limits the natural movement that helps our nervous system regulate itself. (Bailenson, J.; “Four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and their solutions”, Stanford News, 23 Feb 2021)
Add to that the constant flow of global news, marketing messages, and polished success stories, and it’s no wonder we feel overstimulated. Our minds were never designed to process this much information at once.
Remote work has brought benefits, but also new challenges. Studies show that loneliness, invisibility, and lack of casual connections at work all increase the risk of stress and depression. Without real contact, our sense of belonging fades.
The Hidden Costs of Comparison
Scrolling through a stream of job promotions, new launches, and smiling announcements can trigger what researchers call LinkedIn envy. It distorts our sense of what’s normal. We forget that real success is rarely fast or glamorous. Instead, we start feeling as though we’re falling behind.
Frequent exposure to these highlight reels has been linked to higher anxiety, burnout, and imposter syndrome.
Frequent exposure to these highlight reels has been linked to higher anxiety, burnout, and imposter syndrome. Many professionals, even senior leaders, quietly struggle with the feeling that they are not enough.
The Hidden Costs of Comparison
We can’t all buy a campervan and go off-grid (yes, please, tempting though it may be). But we can take back control of our mental space.
Here are a few small, powerful changes that make a big difference:
Be intentional online. Visit social media with a purpose, not as a reflex.
Curate your feed. Mute accounts that trigger comparison, and follow those who share honestly.
Set digital rest days. Give your brain the downtime it needs to reset.
Reconnect with reality. Phone a friend, walk in nature, or send a postcard for real.
Practise gratitude. It’s the quickest way to remember what’s already good in your life.
We are holistic beings who need balance. We can’t fill every waking second with productivity. Our minds need stillness to create, connect, and heal.
A Gentle Reminder: You Are Enough
My first ever Life Coach, Carole Ann Rice told me from the start: Comparison always leads to self-doubt and discontent. I know, because I’ve been there. It’s never easy, but I’ve learnt that we are all on different paths. Your journey is yours alone, and your pace is perfect for you.
Titles and achievements are lovely, but they never bring lasting happiness. Once we reach one goal, the mind quickly moves the target again. So instead of chasing, pause. Look at where you are now.
We all have challenges and joys, and we all grow in our own way. The secret is not to escape life, but to ground ourselves gently back into it.
Go for a walk, breathe fresh air, listen to the birds, or stand on the deck and feel the wind on your face. The world will keep spinning, but your nervous system will thank you for every minute you spend in the real one.
Be proud of who you are. You are already enough. Now put the phone down and stop doomscrolling.
Warm wishes, Tineke
