I’ve been working in the news business for over 30 years. During that time, I’ve covered countless murders, fatal accidents, and disasters. Notably, I covered 9/11, multiple mass shootings, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the gut-wrenching discovery of mass graves at residential schools.
For decades, I slept with one eye open because I never knew when a breaking story would happen, and I would have to rush to work. I’d check my phone constantly to make sure that I wasn’t missing anything. I’d devour content from other media to make sure that I had as much information as possible. In short, I lived and breathed current events.
It’s no wonder I eventually burned out. While I do have a thick skin and am usually able to separate my feelings from my job, I’m human and there are times when tough stories stick with me. Consequently, I now make a point of limiting how much news I consume. Unless there is an urgent situation like the recent state of emergency in Gravenhurst, I try to not check the news when I’m not working.
Even if you don’t work in the journalism field, you can experience news burnout. We live in an age when news is at your fingertips 24-7, complete with notifications to your phone. While knowing what’s happening in your community and around the world is important, it can also get to be too much. According to the Mayo Clinic, constant exposure to stressors like watching too much news can leave you feeling physically and emotionally exhausted, apprehensive, depressed, and even hopeless.
The terms ‘doomscrolling’ and ‘doomsurfing’ were coined during the pandemic and refer to the act of spending an excessive amount of time reading large quantities of news, particularly negative news, on the web and social media. As sad as it may be, we’re drawn to negative news even though it can leave us feeling upset, angry or even traumatized.
Moderating the amount of news you consume is key if you’re experiencing news burnout. Here are some useful techniques:
1.Check news only at specific times like once in the morning and again in the evening. However, don’t check news right before going to bed. Disturbing stories can prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep.
2.Try to limit the amount of time you spend on your devices. Set aside 15 minutes for you to cruise social media, but when the time is up, put your phone down.
3.Be cognizant of the types of stories you read or watch. Does the story make you feel better or give you useful knowledge, or do you end up feeling sad or anxious. If it’s the latter, skip the story.
4.Be choosy about your news sources. Even with the implementation of Bill C-18, social media is saturated with news – and not all of it accurate. Choose a few reputable news sources and don’t give in to clickbait or sensationalized headlines.
5.Reacting to a negative story in a positive way can combat feelings of sadness over news content. If someone in your community has experienced a fire or accident, donate what you can to help get them back on their feet. If you’re moved by a particular social issue, volunteer with an organization that is trying to make a difference.
It’s perfectly normal to be saddened by the never-ending stream of negative news, but you need to make changes if the news you’re consuming is impacting your wellbeing. It really boils down to this – if the news feels overwhelming, turn it off.
