While many are justifiably talking about the toll the economy and social distancing are taking on our mental health, there’s also another not-so-silent killer. “Information overload” has been shown to make us feel overwhelmed and powerless, and exhaust our brain to the point we start making bad decisions. Luckily though, there are some simple ways to cut back on the constant stream of new information.
- Schedule times to look at the news.It’s more important than ever to stay informed but that doesn’t mean you need a constant barrage of updates. Set a time in your schedule that you’ll be looking at the news and hold yourself to that limit. And if there’s a day you’re feeling particularly anxious, skip your news time until you’re feeling calm.
- Be careful about checking social media. You might as well include checking your social feeds into your allotted news time because your feed is likely filled with headlines. Even if you’re just trying to see some pics of your friend’s new baby, right below it is your Uncle sharing some doom and gloom article. Limit your time on social media and you’ll feel much better.
In an effort to limit your information overload, we’ll stop there, but you can find more tipsHERE.
Source:Psychology Today