We are constantly immersed in information. We are always seeing headlines, articles shared on facebook and twitter, people airing out their opinions. It can be so overwhelming to keep up with every issue that deserves attention. It can be infuriating to see bad news, to the point where we want to give up and ignore all of it.
24/7 news cycles and constant exposure to negative news can impact our mental health severely (Time Magazine). We, as a people, have an instinctual “negativity bias” that draws us to tragedy, scandal and disaster. This puts our brains in survival mode which increases stress, anxiety, depression and even PTSD (Time).
No matter what your personal beliefs are, this affects all of us. These are ways to stay informed while protecting your mental health.
Stop getting news from social media Go through twitter and facebook and everything else and unfollow every news source. Unfollow anyone that is constantly posting about negative news, especially if they share their personal opinions. This causes bias and a telephone effect, which is how information gets distorted and we end up with fake news.
Confirm When you do hear about news, always follow up with a simple google search. Find one or two articles from different sources you trust to make sure what you know is actually fact. Never trust the first thing you hear. Never trust word-of-mouth.
Politico is a great non-partisan resource for confirming news stories.
Sign up for daily summaries Instead of getting on the email list for your trusted news sources, sign up for daily summaries that go straight to your inbox or phone. Most sources will pick the most important stories for people to know, summarize them in a few sentences and link you to articles if you want more information. This makes your news intake quick and schedules it for a specific time of day.
Breaking News alerts You can set up your notifications from your news source to send you information only for breaking news. Most sources are very good at deciding what is/isn’t breaking news. Sometimes you go weeks without a notification, which means your life isn’t constantly being interrupted.
Podcasts Podcasts are easier to listen to than TV news or the radio because they are selective about the stories they use and usually last 10-15 minutes. They are available on your phone and easy to fit in at any point in your day. Look for a podcast that doesn’t just state the news, but explains what it is. They should give definitions, and break down complicated information that is designed to be confusing to the reader.
Skimmthis, from The Skimm, comes out every week day at 5pm. They pick one major story and a couple smaller ones and explain what it is and why it matters.
Being informed is important, but your mental health takes priority. Controlling your news intake protects you from burnout and lowers stress levels. It limits the power of fake news and misinformation. Controlling your consumption of news means you can live your life without constant interruptions for impending doom and leaves room for a more positive outlook on life.