How to Avoid 'News Anxiety'

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the COVID-19 outbreak is proving to be stressful for most people. During an infectious disease outbreak, the CDC says stress can include changes in sleep or eating patterns, worsening of mental health conditions, fear and worry about your health and the health of loved ones, and difficulty concentrating.

Compounding this stress is the constant stream of news about COVID-19 that we are exposed to on a daily, hourly, and even minute-by-minute basis. 

This makes sense to me, as one of the most common concerns amongst my coaching clients this past year has been how to find ways to avoid the news. The daily reports, the headlines and constant phone updates, all cause ‘news anxiety’ - which I'm sure you agree has a detrimental effect on your mental health. 
 
Here are my tips on how to avoid the news and manage your exposure to it.

1. Choose who you get the news from

Decide one news source that you feel the most comfortable with and use that source only. Choose one or two times during the day for your news updates – and ensure they are not first thing in the morning or last thing at night.
 
It might be helpful to remember that the world is incredibly strange at the moment and most news outlets are focussed entirely on the current pandemic and politics.  You don’t need to be aware of every change that’s happening and taking a break from it is necessary for all of us.

2. Limit your automatic news updates
Take some time to check your phone and computer settings to change the notifications you get daily. For example, if you have both an Apple iPhone and a Mac, the chances are you're getting news updates pinging on both throughout the day! Search 'how to turn off news notifications' for your phone or computer model and follow the instructions.

If you work from home, these updates can also be a big distraction to your workflow and cause procrastination.
 
3. Control your phone apps
Did you know that you can set your phone to limit the time your apps are live and available to you? If you haven’t used this function I highly recommend you do. Not only does it stop the notifications, but over time, it also trains your brain to know that you only use your apps in the core part of your day. It really helps!
Here's how to activate this for iPhone and Android.
 
4. Find other distractions
There is no ignoring the fact that this pandemic will continue through 2021. A good way to ensure you stay mentally fit is to plan some activities that you enjoy doing and to take your mind off things. It can sound obvious and simple, but activities like baking, knitting, drawing, learning a new instrument are exactly what we need right now to reduce our screen time. 

Learning something new gives you a sense of achievement, purpose, and a boost to your confidence. It could be exactly what you need right now. 
 
5. Find balance
Balance out the negative with the positive and follow some good news updates to fill your feed or inbox! Here are some ideas:
Squirrel News - Choose from App, Social updates, or email newsletter
The Good Stuff - email newsletter
The Good News Movement - Instagram
Upworthy - Instagram

I hope these tips help. To learn more tools and strategies to help you manage stress and overwhelm right now, book a discovery call with me here or email louise@louisedockery.comf and tell me what you need help with.