I'll admit—I've fallen victim to the news spiral.
I wake up and immediately seek the dopamine hit of "OH GOD, WHAT'S THIS EPISODE OF AMERICA GOT IN STORE FOR ME TODAY?" I turn on the news and keep it playing in the background while I work.
Then, during a quick Instagram break, I'm hit with more world updates and political takes. By dinner, I'm watching the evening news and late-night talk shows while semi-yelling at the screen and making snide comments every time something absurd comes up (which, let's be real, is often).
I know, I know—it's self-inflicted 🤣. But I'm clearly not alone.
In fact,
77% of Americans say the future of our nation is a major source of stress. The news cycle seems built to keep us anxious, angry, and exhausted. And it's not just a feeling—experts say that much of modern journalism is driven by outrage and fear, rather than hope or solutions. If you haven't already, watch
this breakdown of what's wrong with the news by journalist Jay Rosen—it's eye-opening.
So how do we stay informed
without letting the headlines hijack our mood, motivation, or mental health?
Here are 8 things I'm trying so I don't spiral every time I catch up on the news:
1. Set Time Limits Designate a 10–15 minute window in the morning and evening to catch up. That's it. No late-night doomscrolling or background noise all day.
2. Curate Your Sources Stick to a few reliable outlets with balanced reporting. Bonus: subscribe to concise newsletters like
The Skimm,
The Donut, or
Semafor that keep you updated without sending you into a tailspin.
3. Choose Formats That Work for You Podcasts like
Up First or
The Daily are great for commuters. Prefer to read? Opt for summary-based newsletters or roundups that avoid clickbait.
4. Don't Rewatch Trauma Watching the same upsetting footage or reading five versions of the same tragic story doesn't make you more informed—it just messes with your nervous system.
5. Give Yourself News Boundaries You're not a policy expert. You don't need to absorb everything in real-time. It's okay to say, "I'll read up on that later" or "I'm not in the headspace for this today."
6. Mix in Good News Balance your feed with positivity. Follow accounts like
@goodgoodgoodco or subscribe to
Nice News for stories that remind you people are still doing good in the world.
7. Listen to Your Body If you're clenching your jaw, holding your breath, or feeling tight in your chest, it's probably time to pause.
8. Take Action—Then Log Off If something fires you up, take a small action—call your rep, donate, or share a helpful resource—then step away. Action restores agency. Obsessive consumption steals it.
Staying informed is important. But protecting your peace is too. You don't have to carry the weight of the world to care about it. Find your balance, stay grounded, and remind yourself: not every headline deserves your nervous system.

Thania (TA Content Mgr)
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