I stopped checking the news three months ago. No TV news, newspapers, or news websites. I did it on a whim, thinking I would just turn off the information tap for a few days. It was a busy period for me and I was spending too much time browsing headlines when I should be working. So I deleted my bookmarks and stopped buying the newspaper.
For the first time since childhood I was news-free.
The first few days were hard. I realized that I had becomed accustomed to checking the news websites several times a day. I had to actively stop myself from opening the browser. I felt anxious because I thought I might be “missing out” on something important.
But then, after about a week, I began to feel really good.
I was noticeably more relaxed. I was still working long hours but I wasn’t as stressed. My concentration had improved and I was getting more work done. There seemed to be more hours in the day. I was reading books and talking to people. My mood was better and my thoughts were clearer.
I was running an experiment on myself and the results were surprising. What was it about not consuming news that could explain these positive effects?
Think about the process of publishing news. Someone hand-picks what you will see in the morning paper. Of all the millions of events that happen around the world, only a few make it into the daily news feed. Those few stories are chosen to have maximum emotional impact – and they are almost always bad news, not good news.
You read about something terrible. It happened half a world away so there is nothing you can do about it. That combination of negativity and helplessness leaves its effect on your mind even after you’ve put down the paper. It may even affect the way you do your work and treat others.
The news media has enormous power to set people’s mood and behaviour.
Without realizing it, when I switched off the news I freed myself from this form of mental remote control. I still like to read, so I found myself searching for articles on my favourite topics rather than passively accepting whatever was offered on a news site. I was actively feeding my mind, and that was making me happy.
Consuming news is like snacking. It’s addictive, it’s easy and always available. When you stop, you regain control over your diet of information and save your appetite for more nourishing fare.
So am I less informed now? I know less about celebrities and politicians, but I find myself talking to people more often and getting my information through human contact. My opinions are more likely to be my own. Without the constant chatter of the daily news feed, deeper issues become clearer. I am still very much connected to the world, but on my own terms. I haven’t “missed out” on anything important.
It sounds crazy, but I think going news-free makes a person happier, smarter and more social.
I used to read the daily newspaper from front to back. But we only invented newspapers a couple of centuries ago. Before that, news was what you discussed with the people in your life. A person is more interesting and more relevant than any newspaper. And life is definitely better without the news.
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