Do your co-workers have that "Deer In The Headlines" look today?
Today, and likely this week, you have a choice: Obsess on the Wall Street crisis or focus on a project that will make a difference over the long haul. I doubt that there's little in between.
Me personally, I'm going to focus my efforts on my new website (SavingTheWorld.net), a knowledge network for people that want to make a difference. I'm going to focus on design, user experience, traffic generation and reporting issues. I'm going to turn off the TV, leave email open and put on horse blinders to everything else.
While Rome burns, I'll build something. Likely, my efforts this week won't be erased by the results of current events. In fact, so many others will choose the Obsess option, I'll likely move ahead as a result of my focus during a time of distraction.
This will work for you too. Turn it all off, and devote your attention to a single project of value. Work on the product or the marketing plan. Get inside the process, and don't come out until it is fixed. Get in your car and go see a Customer (or call them). Do something, anything. You'll be thinking against the grain.
