4 Ways to Stay Informed & Still Stay Sane

When you think about the news, what do you do? If it makes you tense up or tune out, you’re not alone. Even before the pandemic, Pew research found two-thirds of Americans feel worn out by the news. News in today’s world is often linked to tragic events, political bickering, and non-stop phone notifications, and especially in the year 2020, taking it all in can feel like drinking from a firehose. Yet, it’s important. Staying informed impacts so many aspects of our lives, from elections to privacy to our health and the health of our loved ones.

So how do we stay informed and stay sane?

I quit my career as a TV news reporter to launch a quick daily news podcast that I hope provides that solution. Because, yes, even as a news-junkie journalist, I felt some of the same frustrations I’ve heard from many other people. Now, during a global pandemic, our mission to help people stay informed with convenience, clarity and less stress seems to resonate more than ever.

So, here are our four tactics to control your news consumption so it doesn’t control you:

Don’t ‘sit’ in the tragedy & uncertainty

Less is more. You’ve heard it before but it applies to news, too. Yes, staying up-to-date is vital to our health these days, but watching three hours of breaking news coverage will likely leave you feeling more anxious and no more informed.

Instead, be more deliberate about how long you’re spending taking it all in. Whether you choose a 10-minute news podcast like The NewsWorthy during your morning coffee or set a timer to read the news in just 15-minute intervals twice a day, this will help you avoid spending time on unnecessary details that are more for the shock value than actual value to your life.

There’s another benefit of keeping your news consumption on a time limit, and that’s simply keeping up with it over time! When you’re willing to fit just ten minutes of news into your morning routine, you’re more likely to make staying informed a daily habit rather than another stress-inducing ‘should.’

Listen to perspectives other than your own

I’m not suggesting you sit and watch cable news pundits for hours on end (see #1), but I am suggesting you pull yourself out of the echo chamber. Seek out at least two different news sources about the same story, and you may notice each one highlights slightly different viewpoints or aspects of the story. We’re very intentional about pulling from a wide variety of news sources for The NewsWorthy to avoid allowing our own biases, or that of the other reporters we reference, to overly influence the script. We work to do this type of research for you.

When we take the time to find the reasonable aspects of the ‘other side,’ and realize it’s not just the extreme viewpoints that exist, then perhaps we can find at least a little more understanding, feel a little less anger, and maybe, get a little closer to a compromise.

Look for the ‘good news’ — or at least, the good people

As Mr. Rogers would say, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”  In every tragedy or, well, global pandemic, there are always heroes, helpers, or people working toward a solution. Whether it’s the first responders, medical professionals, and scientists, or the volunteers and friendly neighbors, there are always good people in bad situations. Seek them out. Balance the negative stories with the positive.

At the same time, it’s just as important not to feel like you must fix every problem yourself. There’s a lot we can’t control. That’s okay. As you start to pay attention to how others are working toward solutions, and which stories and issues you feel most passionate about, you’ll be able to be selective yet effective with your contributions.

Variety is the spice of life

A simple way to ensure we’re mixing in the good stuff and learning more about the types of issues we care most about is to ensure we’re getting the ‘variety-pack’ of news. Our lives are varied and impacted by everything from politics to technology to entertainment, so let’s make sure our daily news intake reflects that! Besides, variety leads to way more interesting conversations.

At The NewsWorthy, we’ll look for stories ranging from the latest science connected to COVID-19 to a new climate change report to what’s the highest-grossing movie of all time! Yes, there are international tensions affecting the economy, but there are also researchers figuring out ways to control robotic arms with our minds! Let’s talk about it all.

So, whether you choose to listen to ten minutes of news with The NewsWorthy each morning, or find your own best practices for news consumption, I hope these tips help lighten the load of what it means to stay informed while also living a life you enjoy.

Award-winning journalist Erica Mandy is the founder and host of The NewsWorthy, a podcast that provides the day’s news in just 10 minutes. Her friendly voice, credible information, and always-unbiased take will keep you in-the-know without the added stress or overwhelm.

The NewsWorthy covers everything from politics to tech to entertainment in a format they call ‘fast, fair, fun.’  There’s a reason The NewsWorthy has been named a ‘Best Podcast’ by Harper’s Bazaar, recommended as a ‘Best News App’ by Fast Company, featured as one of the “12 Essential Current Events Podcasts” by Salon.com, and more.

Erica is one of the first podcasters to partner with Podfund, a company that invests in extraordinary emerging podcasters, and she’s been named one of “50 Women Changing the World in Media & Entertainment” by a nonprofit working toward gender equity.