Working Well Under Pressure: The LinkedIn Illusion
Building the “Perfect” Network
A couple of years ago, I was deep in the social media trap—specifically, LinkedIn. Like many professionals, I bought into the idea that having a massive network of contacts would unlock a goldmine of business opportunities. So I did what most people did back then: accepted every connection request that came through. Before I knew it, I had hundreds of “contacts”… most of whom I had never spoken to and would never speak to.
It felt like I was building something meaningful—a network, a community, a future pipeline of opportunity. But in reality, I was just collecting digital business cards in a numbers game with zero payoff.
The First Red Flag
For the last two years, I’ve avoided LinkedIn completely. I left my profile to gather virtual dust. But recently, curiosity got the better of me. I logged back in after six months of silence. And what did I find?
The same recycled content. The same “inspirational” quotes. The same self-appointed gurus shouting about their latest win. It was like walking into the same awkward networking event, only this time you already knew how fake the smiles were.
The Mental Health Toll
What really got me—what always got me—was the comparison. Seeing these so-called “successful” practices flaunting their perfect growth, their dream clients, their personal breakthroughs… I’d scroll and feel smaller with every post. Why aren’t I doing that? Why aren’t I achieving more? What am I doing wrong?
It took a toll. My mental health dipped, and I couldn’t even see it clearly at first. LinkedIn became less of a professional tool and more of a highlight reel, making me feel like I wasn’t enough. That pressure—the pressure to keep up, to post, to grow—was all-consuming. And none of it was real.
Letting Go of the Noise
I took control by switching off all LinkedIn notifications. No emails. No nudges. No “someone just viewed your profile” distractions. It helped… a lot. That silence became clarity. I wasn’t missing anything. If anything, I was gaining peace.
The truth is, LinkedIn just isn’t for me anymore. The thought of deleting my account still causes a bit of internal friction—there’s that voice whispering “what if you need it?” But I’m slowly reaching the point where I know that letting it go entirely is the next step.
No more comparisons. No more pretending. Just me, focusing on real work, real people, and my real mental health.
“I have done it! What a feeling, I have achieved something today, this week, this year. I have blogged today.”
Thanks for stopping by – Have a good day!
The Depressed Accountant™