I've done something a bit radical - I've stopped reading the news completely. No news websites, no newspapers, no news apps. Nothing.
It wasn't a planned thing. I'd been following the 2024 US presidential race quite closely and got really invested in it. My friend Caspar put it perfectly when he said "I let hope in." And then when Trump won, it completely floored me.
Every time I saw his name in a headline it made my heart skip a beat. The constant stream of news was overwhelming me, feeding a growing anxiety that was affecting every part of my life. Something had to change.
So I deleted all my news website bookmarks and made myself a promise - no news for six months.
It's not easy
Let me be clear - this isn't as simple as it sounds. The news has a way of finding you even when you're actively avoiding it. TVs in bars still broadcast the latest headlines. Some of my friends just won't stop sharing news stories, even though I've asked them repeatedly not to. The world doesn't make it easy to disconnect.
But here's what I've discovered - we don't actually need to know about every single thing that happens anywhere in the world. This realisation has been surprisingly liberating. When something truly important happens, people let me know. My friends and family, who seem less emotionally affected by news consumption, act as natural filters. They make sure I know about the stuff that really matters while shielding me from the constant barrage of anxiety-inducing headlines.
The benefits are huge
The changes in my mental wellbeing have been amazing. I'm sleeping better. My anxiety levels have dropped significantly. Instead of spending hours consuming news, I'm reading more books. I'd really recommend Gideon The Ninth. The constant background hum of political tension has quieted down, letting me focus on my immediate life and community.
What started as a six-month experiment might become a permanent lifestyle change. The benefits have been so significant that I'm seriously considering extending my news-free period indefinitely.
Want to try it?
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the news cycle, why not give this a go? Start small:
- Delete your news apps for just one day and see how you feel
- Try extending it to a week
- Ask yourself honestly: do you really want to go back to constant news consumption?
You might be surprised by how much mental space opens up when you're not constantly processing the world's problems. Trust that anything really important will find its way to you through your social networks.
Finding balance
This isn't about becoming uninformed or disconnecting from reality. It's about finding a healthier way to engage with information. I've realised that being constantly plugged into the news cycle isn't making me a better citizen - it's just making me more anxious, more frustrated, and less effective in my daily life.
The world will keep spinning whether or not I follow every headline. For now, I'm enjoying the peace that comes with selective ignorance. My mind is clearer, my days are calmer, and I'm rediscovering the joy of focusing on what's immediately in front of me rather than what's happening in distant corridors of power.
Sometimes the most radical act of self-care is simply choosing what not to know.