Introduction
In 1979, fresh out of college, I
stepped into the world not as a political expert, not as someone tuned into the
economy, but simply as a young man looking to succeed. I took a straight
commission job in the welding industry with no salary, no security, and no
backup plan—just grit and determination. I wasn’t watching the nightly news. I
wasn’t flipping through pages of political commentary. I didn’t read the Wall
Street Journal or stay up-to-date with the Associated Press. The only news I
consumed was the Sunday comics and the occasional glance at the sports page.
That’s it.
What I didn’t realize at the time
was that I was walking straight into one of the worst economic downturns in
American history. The late '70s and early '80s were defined by inflation, gas
lines, economic instability, and widespread frustration. It was the tail end of
the Jimmy Carter presidency, a period now seen by many as a political and
economic low point. Farmers were being crushed. Interest rates were sky-high.
Unemployment was painful. There was no prosperity in sight.
And yet—I succeeded. I was given the
worst sales territory in the company. Out of 50 nationwide territories, I was
handed number 50. Dead last. It was the least performing, the most forgotten,
and considered by many a career killer. But I didn’t know that. I didn’t even
know there was a recession. I didn’t realize that farmers were going bankrupt.
I didn’t understand that political unrest and economic despair were saturating
the country. I simply got up every day, made my calls, knocked on doors, and
tried to sell welders to hardworking people.
Sometimes I sat across the kitchen
table from a farmer and his wife, and I’d hear her say, “Honey, we can’t afford
it.” I remember thinking, “Why not? This machine will help.” I was naïve to the
larger picture. I didn’t see the headlines. I didn’t absorb the nightly doom
and gloom. I was simply working, grinding, and believing.
And by the end of that year, I took
that number 50 territory and turned it into number 2 in the nation.
It’s easy to look back and ask, “How
did that happen?” I believe a big part of it was this: I wasn’t distracted. I
wasn’t paralyzed by the fear, division, or chaos that the news tends to spread.
I wasn’t overwhelmed by global issues I couldn’t control. I was laser-focused
on what I could do—my job.
Today, we live in a very different
world. Smartphones, 24-hour news cycles, and social media have made news
consumption almost constant. Everywhere you turn, someone is shouting about
what’s wrong in the world. And you know what? Most of it doesn’t affect you—not
directly, not personally, not practically. We consume hour after hour of
stories that do nothing but heighten our anxiety and rob our time.
That’s what this article is about. A
question: Are you consuming too much news? Are you mentally and
emotionally investing in stories that have no real bearing on your life, your
family, or your future? Are you focused on what truly matters—or are you
drowning in noise?
Because the truth is, if you're
spending your days anxious, angry, or distracted because of the headlines,
you're not living—you're reacting. And that might be the biggest roadblock
standing between you and the life you want.
1. The Rise of News Overload
We live in an era where information
is king, and news is currency. With 24/7 news networks, mobile alerts, breaking
headlines, and talking heads on every screen, most people now consume more news
in one day than our grandparents did in a week. But at what cost?
Studies show that consuming too much
news, especially negative news, leads to increased stress, anxiety, depression,
and even physical symptoms like headaches and insomnia. Why? Because the human
brain wasn’t designed to process this much negativity from every corner of the
planet, all the time. We’re wired to respond emotionally to threats, and the
media knows this. Fear sells. Outrage sells. Panic sells.
2. Most News Doesn’t Affect You
Personally
The truth is, the majority of the
news you consume will never touch your life directly. Political bickering in
Washington? Heated debates in other countries? Sensational trials, celebrity
scandals, and social media spats? They don’t change your relationships, your
job, your health, your goals, or your happiness. They are distractions dressed
up as necessities.
People convince themselves that
being “informed” is virtuous—but there’s a difference between being responsibly
aware and obsessively consumed.
3. The Illusion of Control
Many people consume news to feel
informed or prepared, believing it gives them control. But in reality, it’s
often a false sense of control. Watching the news doesn’t stop inflation.
Knowing every detail of a distant conflict doesn’t solve your family’s
challenges. What it does is fill your headspace with worry, worry you can’t act
on.
You only have so much mental and
emotional bandwidth. Spending it on things you can’t change robs you of energy
for the things you can.
4. The Productivity Drain
Imagine what you could do with the
time you currently spend watching news, scrolling headlines, or arguing about
politics online. You could start a side business. Deepen your relationships.
Read meaningful books. Volunteer. Improve your health. Create art. Learn a
skill.
The average adult consumes around 7
hours of media per day. Even trimming that down by 30% could give you back
enough time to change your life.
5. Emotional Hijacking and
Polarization
The media isn't just keeping you
informed—it’s telling you how to feel. And often, it tells you to feel
angry, fearful, or suspicious. It stirs division between neighbors, friends,
and even families. It convinces you that people who disagree with you are
enemies. That’s not information—it’s manipulation.
This is one of the greatest
tragedies of news overconsumption: it builds emotional walls where bridges
could be.
6. The Case for a Focused Life
Let me say it plainly: You don’t
need the news to live a good, productive, and meaningful life.
When I succeeded in sales during a
recession, I wasn’t blissfully ignorant—I was intentionally focused. I
didn’t carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. I wasn’t distracted by
issues I couldn’t solve. I poured my energy into what mattered—my work, my
integrity, my relationships.
That lesson is more relevant today
than ever. If you want to succeed, if you want peace of mind, if you want to
make progress in your own life, stop feeding on what doesn’t serve you.
7. Practical Tips to Break the Cycle
- Switch from watching to reading. Reading headlines lets you scan quickly and filter out
noise. Watching or listening often pulls you into commentary and
sensationalism.
- Set time limits.
Allocate 15–30 minutes a day to catch up on what truly matters. Then move
on.
- Unfollow toxic sources. If a news source constantly stirs outrage, unfollow or
unsubscribe.
- Focus on local.
News that directly affects your city or community is often more relevant
and actionable.
- Prioritize your priorities. If your family, career, faith, or health is more
important than the news, then let your time reflect that.
Conclusion
We live in a world obsessed with
information, but more isn’t always better. In fact, too much information can be
just as paralyzing as too little. Today’s news cycle is engineered to keep you
hooked, anxious, outraged, and endlessly scrolling. But here’s the hard truth:
that news won’t help you succeed. It won’t help you become a better parent,
spouse, friend, or leader. It won’t help you accomplish your goals, strengthen
your character, or give you peace.
I’ve lived both ways. I’ve lived
without news, and I’ve lived with it. And I can tell you—when you cut out the
noise, you start to hear your own voice again. Your dreams. Your goals. Your
values. They rise to the surface when you aren’t being drowned by someone
else’s agenda.
I don’t write this as someone out of
touch. I write this as someone who’s been right in the middle of it—who knows
what it’s like to build something from the ground up without knowing all the
odds stacked against you. And that ignorance? It wasn’t a disadvantage. It was
a shield. It kept me from getting distracted. It kept me from giving up before
I started. It kept me focused on what I could control.
That’s what I want for you.
What would your life look like if
you turned off the noise? If you stopped feeding on negativity and started
feasting on purpose? What would happen if you redirected the hours spent on
news into hours spent on growth?
You might find yourself waking up
happier. You might find yourself having better conversations. You might find
your anxiety levels dropping. You might rediscover your ambition. You might
climb your own mountain—and not even realize how hard it was until you’re
standing at the top.
So here’s my final advice: cut the
cord, close the tab, and take your life back. Read what you need. Ignore what
you don’t. Filter everything through this lens: Does this affect me, my
family, my mission? If not, let it go.
You’ll be amazed at what you can
accomplish when you stop living on someone else’s narrative and start living
your own story.
Let’s tune out the chaos and tune in
to what matters.
Here
are five scientific studies and sources
that support your article’s message about overconsumption of news and its
negative impact on mental health, productivity, and well-being:
1. “News exposure predicts symptoms
of post-traumatic stress disorder after mass trauma” — Psychological
Science
Authors:
Roxane Cohen Silver et al.
Published: 2013
Key finding: Individuals who
watched more media coverage following the Boston Marathon bombings showed
higher acute stress levels than some people who were at the scene.
Conclusion: Media exposure can
cause vicarious trauma, even when you are
not personally affected.
2. “Too
much news can be bad for your mental health” — American
Psychological Association (APA)
Summary:
The APA has documented how constant media exposure, especially to negative or
crisis news, contributes to anxiety, fatigue, and depression.
Quote: “Frequent exposure to
traumatic news can lead to symptoms of anxiety and depression... creating a
cycle of stress and helplessness.”
Advice: Limit news to 1–2 times
per day and avoid news before bedtime.
Link:
https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/sia-mental-health-crisis
3. “Media multitasking is associated
with reduced memory and attentional control” — PNAS (Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences)
Authors:
Eyal Ophir, Clifford Nass, Anthony D. Wagner
Published: 2009
Key finding: Consuming multiple
sources of media (TV, web, mobile) impairs attention, working memory, and the
ability to focus on tasks.
Conclusion:
Information overload from the media damages cognitive control and concentration.
4.
“The psychological toll of the news” — Harvard Health Publishing
Key insight:
Continuous consumption of distressing news activates your body’s stress
response. Chronic exposure can lead to fatigue, poor sleep, and emotional
numbness.
Advice:
Limit exposure, avoid checking the news before bed, and consume media
intentionally, not habitually.
Link:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-psychological-toll-of-the-news-202204132720
5. “Social media and mental health:
It’s not just about screen time” — Nature Human Behaviour
Authors:
Orben & Przybylski
Published: 2019
Insight: Passive consumption of
news via social platforms (especially negative news) increases depressive
symptoms, particularly in young adults.
Conclusion:
News delivery through algorithmic feeds creates distorted perceptions and
emotional instability.
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