Do you feel overwhelmed by the news? That’s common. Studies show that information overload is associated with psychological exhaustion.
Yes, staying informed is viewed as a civic responsibility. However, half of Americans feel worn out by the news, and about 60% of the population tunes out. Learn how to find the balance between staying informed and not burning out on the news.
Before taking action, think of these three questions:
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Why do you read the news?
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How do you feel after reading about the latest events?
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How could changing your news diet benefit you?
Now, let’s take steps.
1. Unfollow
Unfollow as many news sources as you can. You can unfollow them all! Don’t forget to turn off notifications, too.
If you are afraid of missing out on important events, look at the younger Americans: they tend not to follow the news, but still come across news on social media.
On the other hand, if you want to avoid news and political content, go to your social media and ads settings. Here, you can hide sensitive content or allow algorithms to suppress political topics. You can also refresh your preferences and block political ads.
Pro tip
Spend some time completely off social media and fill the time with cozy games such as Unpacking or Stardew Valley.
2. Curate
Actively follow and like bloggers and content that promotes crafting, artists, cute puppies, psychologists, memes, and your special interests.
For example, Instagram artists @nathanwpylestrangeplanet and @theycantalkcomics could make you smile. For inspiration, follow @yeahliya, @ystreetstudio, and @thisiscolossal. If you are into weird stuff, take a look at @chrissunk.
The algorithms pick up who you follow and adapt so you stay engaged longer and more often. The algorithms also analyze what you comment on, like, share, re-watch, and copy links to.
3. Separate
Think of a dedicated space, time, and platform to read the news. Here are a few ideas:
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Pick one day a week when you read the news.
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Create a separate social media account to follow news media.
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Use a separate device for news-reading sessions.
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Set a timer for how long you can browse.
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Buddy up with a friend and discuss what you saw to reduce the stress.
With care,
Science Writer Vlada Sukhanovskaya & Normotim Team 💜
