It can be stressful to stay informed. There is also the continual pressure to keep up with the headlines and know what is going on in the world. I think we all want to keep up with the news, but it can be damaging to our mental health. Most news is filled with bias, anger and can be about bad rather than good things going on in the world.
One good practice is to write down or think about what you want to get out of the news. The news' main purpose is to inform the public about what is happening. What subjects interest you? What do you want to stay updated on? What subjects do you not want to hear about anymore? Taking some time to plan how you can consume news in a mindful way that does not damage your mental health is important. For me, reading the news can lead to anxiety and pressure.
There is such a thing as information overload. If you plan out time in the day for consuming information, your brain can rest, but you will still feel like an informed citizen. It is important to set time aside in your day for when you have the mental capacity to read the news and when you don't. For instance, you may not want to read the news before going to bed at night to ruin your sleep or right as you wake up in the morning to worsen your day.
To start guiding yourself through mindfully consuming the news, answer these three questions: what do you want to get out of the news, in what medium do you want to learn about the news and how often do you want to hear about the news. If you have paid attention to a news channel for more than an hour, you will notice most news repeats itself throughout the day.
Based on this, the starting point for how often you want to hear about the news is less than three times a day. When considering what media to consume news with, consider bias as well. All mediums have their downsides, so I think it is good to have multiple ways of consuming the news without your whole day lost in the vortex. I recommend using the website AllSides, which states where news sources lie on the political spectrum.
There can be many benefits that can be derived from the news, other than staying updated, and it is your decision if you want to include them in your daily routine. You could learn about ways you can get involved locally, internationally or globally or hear quick highlights about what is happening around you, or maybe you just want to lighten up your day with fun or inspirational headlines.
One of my favorite ways of consuming the news is through a podcast. Podcasts can allow you to have time away from a screen, which may be well needed in today's world. I like certain podcasts done by NPR because they are short and get through the main headlines in the day.
I also receive a "daily briefing" email from the New York Times. I think email newsletters from your preferred news source can be beneficial because if there is a particular subject or snippet of an article that interests you, you are able to delve more into the topic. The daily briefing from the New York Times also includes some fun topics, such as recipes and a daily crossword. There is a nice balance of topics, not completely focused on politics.
Sifting through text, though, can not be the most intellectually stimulating. Maybe a visually stimulating YouTube video from Vox or VICE News may interest you to add to your subscription box.
No matter how often, or in what way, you are consuming the news, it is always important to step away sometimes if you feel overwhelmed. I suggest setting aside one day a week away from news and social media to reset. In this world, we can consume a lot of media passively, through word of mouth or social media, but it is more beneficial to be intentional about the media we are consuming so we can read it critically to separate fact from opinion and bias.
