During these unprecedented times, many of us feel the need to stay informed or to constantly keep watching the news. This could be so that we are able to actively participate in political discussions with our friends or family, or just because being at home makes us want to know what is happening around in the world. However, we fail to realise the impact of the news, particularly bad news, on our mental health.
Becoming media cautious is the best way to protect our mental health, when we are faced with unceasing social media feeds and a relentless barrage of 24-hour news. It is crucial that we adapt to the fact that our ecosystem has changed drastically over the past few decades. Earlier, individuals could consume information easily as it was disseminated in digestible bits. However, now with the freedom of press and the fact that every individual has an opinion on any issue out there, it is essential that we pay emphasis to quality rather than quantity.
Moreover, we also need to understand that everything seems wrought with negativity, given that bad news sells. Consequently, media is highly skewed towards sensationalising issues and highlighting the negative. Unfortunately, feelings of helplessness and uncertainty are associated with anxiety and are a result of regular consumption of news.
Yet, we feel the need to stay informed, so how does one stay up-to-date without sacrificing their peace of mind?
Below are a few tips:
- Say NO to your phone in the morning!
Many people have the awful habit of grabbing their phones as soon as they wake up. When we wake up and immediately check our phones, it creates a feeling of anxiety as we are bombarded with news updates, emails and other messages. This is not a great start at all! Personally, this is what I used to do. I remember reading about Irrfan Khan, my favourite actor, passing away and the next thing I knew was that my day was not going to go well as I was deeply affected by his death. Thus, not checking your phone as the first thing in the morning, is the best thing one can do.
Writing a journal, meditating, exercising, reading a book or just sipping your coffee or chai outside or at any peaceful place at home, are some great starts for the day. After giving yourself this mindful hour or two, one can reach out for their phone and see what is going around in the world.
- Limit your on-screen time
Most of us consume news online or through social media, thus limiting our screen-time is an effective way to stay informed without affecting our well-being. Increased screen time is known to cause anxiety and lower productivity. It also promotes a sedentary lifestyle.
Moreover, for people who tend to use social media to get latest news feeds, most of them uninstall the app when they feel overwhelmed, instead of doing this, one can set a timer, for example, people who use Instagram as a medium of getting news updates, can consider setting a timer and once the timer sets off, they can close the app.
Limiting screen-time is beneficial in other ways too, apart from preventing anxiety, it also helps in time management as one could waste their entire day just scrolling through their Instagram feeds or watching YouTube videos.
- Be mindful of your consumption
Naturally, there is a lot going on in the world, therefore, even if you try to absorb all that is happening around the globe, you would not be able to do so. It would just lead to a short-circuit of your brain!
Try customising a media diet that is suitable for your palate. In other words, introspect about your interests, what you find inspiring and what would make you feel good about the world rather than just gluing yourself to all sorts of negative news.
Further, if you find watching news on TV overwhelming due to the gruesome images shown, you can shift to listening to news on the radio or simply reading the news online. Further, try sticking to news that is factual and objective rather than new coverages that tend to sensationalise their stories. Many times, it is not the content that is distressing rather it is the way the news is being delivered, hence we need to be mindful of the way we consume news.
- Eat but Do Not Overeat!
Set boundaries of how much news you want to consume in a day. News is ubiquitous nowadays, thus, it is imperative that we take it in measured doses in order to satiate our curiosity. One should make time for it only when they are free from any distractions and are open to it. For example, if you are finding it difficult to fall asleep at night because of reading a news article or watching some news that you cannot get off your mind, then try setting a news curfew where you avoid reading or watching the news after a particular time, say 7 or 8 PM. You can also switch off on-screen notifications and allot a specific time, wherein you would want to read or watch the news.
- Be Optimistic
With several things happening around us in the world, it is natural to feel overwhelmed and guilty of living in so much comfort. Many people also experience something known as compassion fatigue, wherein they feel the urge to reach out and help people. All this occurs by consuming distressing news, and they tend to feel helpless or frustrated if they lack the resources or platform to provide help.
It is known that the media always tries to highlight all the tragedies going on, thus it is necessary that we balance this by reading about the good that is occurring in the world. As human beings, if we are exposed to plenty of negativity, we tend to exacerbate our worries. Thus, it is crucial that we also expose our mind to positivity, as a means to counteract news related anxiety.
Conclusively, even though anxiety and media burnout are a legitimate concern, pretending like we are living in a place without problems and completely unplugging ourselves from any sort of negative news is not an effective solution. As responsible humans, it is imperative that we face the reality and actively contribute towards finding fruitful solutions. Try following these tips and you would be able to keep up with the current events, whilst preventing information or media burnout.
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