In this blog, I wanted to talk about negativity. There is negativity surrounding us everywhere, especially in the news and media. It has only gotten worse in the instant media that we have today. Better yet, it is the over consumption of watching news.
There is nothing more toxic and dangerous to the mind and soul by constantly feeding yourself with the news, especially negative news that is filled with tragedies, crime, politics, the economy, and climate change. A study of researchers Shawn Achor and Michelle Gielan along with Thrive founder Arianna Huffington found that three minutes of negative news (vs. more uplifting content) can ruin your mood for the rest of the day.
The news is a business. It is not to inform you. It is to shock you. Now I understand that conversations and discussions in our culture does require to stay informed, and I understand that. However, if you have a growth mindset and listening to this, then you know that a prolonged discussion about politics or negative news is not the most compelling way to spend time. I also know that we need to stay informed in order to network and have productive interactions in order to gain rapport.
Here are some ways that I have practiced to stay informed, but not overindulge listening, reading, and watching the news:
- Pick a time of day to catch up with the headlines. Use a local news source, so you can at least know what is going on in your immediate world: weather, local news, sports, and local outlets do cover national and world news.
- If you feel the local news is not enough, choose a national headline that you are comfortable with. Stay away from opinions and columnist because they can be extremely harsh and cruel to others who do not share their same beliefs.
- Avoid reviewing news in the morning. The morning is time for yourself to prepare for a fulfilling and productive day. Super life coach Dean Graziosi states that if he looks at his phone in the morning, he knows that it is a 50 percent chance that he will have a bad day. Spend the morning in gratitude and do positive rituals.
- Spend no more than 30 minutes of watching and reviewing the news per day. You can allow 45 minutes if you follow both local and national news.
- Most important, watch, read, or listen to something uplifting, inspirational, and gratifying content after you spend your time with the news. This will elevate your state and make you productive and happier on you are doing next.