I’m employed at a gym, where five televisions are on constantly. Because the gym also pumps out music for the clients’ workouts, the TVs are on closed caption only. This for me is a mercy.
While I’m working with people who are exercising, I rarely have my eye on the TV screens. But nevertheless when I do happen to look up I am bombarded with flashing images of news streams that more often than not trumpet “breaking news.” I feel as though even during those random seconds that I view the headlines, I get more than my fill of news and information. Way more than my fill …
I realize that being informed about current events can be an empowering choice, particularly in this political climate. I happily defer to anyone’s personal preference when it comes to consumption of media.
For those of you who feel pretty much the way I do, however, I believe there is room for at least a conversation about how to moderate the overload of news, technology and information that bombards us daily in the U.S. So here goes …
Why do I think “moderation” is a healthy choice? For your wellbeing, here are some reasons for reining in your news habit:
1. The 24-hour news cycle doesn’t really allow you to think on your own; it spoon feeds you information that may in fact not be true.
2. There is often an overload of negativity in the news coverage, which can stir up emotions in bad ways.
3. It can sometimes contribute to a sense of overload and powerlessness that is not real.
4. It can be another form of addiction.
5. It can directly affect sleep and the ability to relax deeply.
6. Investigative journalism is dying (the Boston Globe, the NY Times, The Atlantic, and the New Yorker are among a few stellar exceptions).
7. Six corporations own 90 percent of all media outlets. That’s too much power and influence.
8. News organizations decide what is newsworthy and contribute to the us-versus-them tribalism currently driving us apart in this country.
9. More than anything, overconsumption of the news is a time bandit if not an actual waste of your time. It most likely interferes with your creativity, which certainly could find outlets and nourishment away from the TV screen.
Denise’s
2 Cents:
The overload of information from the media can be one reason for the higher rates of anxiety and depression in our culture. To push back against this reality, I’m proposing the following One-Week Challenge:
Do you think you can handle it?
For one week—no television news, no print media, and no sneaking a peek at end-of-the-day news.
Does that idea make you break out in a cold sweat? Guess that means you’re hooked. So, hmmm …
How about starting with a two-day challenge! In either case, I believe you will experience two very desirable outcomes:
1. You will have more time.
2. You will have less stress.
Unplug from the news! And let me know how it goes.