4 ways to cope when the news feels overwhelming
Following the news can help you stay informed about what’s happening around you. But when headlines, notifications and conversations about current events seem constant, it might also leave you feeling stressed, distracted or overwhelmed.Ìý
Finding a balance between staying informed and taking breaks can help support your well-being. You can choose when and how you engage with the news, social media and conversations about current events. Try these strategies when it starts to feel like too much.Ìý
1. Be intentional about when you check the newsÌý
Constantly checking headlines or refreshing social media can make it difficult to step away from potentially stressing news. Consider setting limits around when and how often you check the news.Ìý
Try strategies that work with your routine:Ìý
- Choose specific times to check for updates. Instead of following the news throughout the day, decide when you want to catch up. You might check once in the morning and again later in the day. Consider checking when you have the time and emotional capacity to process potentially distressing information, rather than reaching for the news when you’re already feeling depleted or looking for a distraction.Ìý
- Turn off unnecessary notifications. Breaking news and social media alerts can pull your attention back to current events even when you’re trying to focus on something else.Ìý
- Create phone-free times or spaces. Put your phone away while studying, eating with friends or getting ready for bed.Ìý
- Give yourself permission to take a break. Staying informed doesn’t mean following every update in real time. Taking a few hours or days away from the news can give you time to recharge.Ìý
When you do catch up, consider choosing a few credible news sources rather than scrolling through an endless feed. News summaries, newsletters or short podcasts can also help you stay informed without spending as much time online.Ìý
Try Brick at Norlin LibraryÌý
Want help taking a break from distracting apps? Health Promotion is piloting Brick, a digital well-being tool available at Norlin Library. Download the Brick app and choose which apps you want to temporarily restrict, such as social media, news or gaming apps. Then tap your phone on the Brick to start your break. When you’re ready to access those apps again, return to the Brick and tap your phone to unlock them.Ìý
Keep text messages and your campus email accessible so you can continue to receive campus alerts.Ìý
2. Set boundaries online and in conversationsÌý
You get to decide how much time and energy you want to spend talking about current events. Setting boundaries can help when conversations online or in person start to feel overwhelming.Ìý
Consider these options:Ìý
- Skip the comment section. Online discussions can take a lot of time and energy. Decide whether engaging in a conversation is helpful for you before jumping in.Ìý
- Curate your social media feed. Follow accounts that help you feel connected, entertained or supported, and mute or unfollow accounts that regularly leave you feeling stressed or overwhelmed. You can always change your settings later.Ìý
- Get news from news sources. Social media can be a convenient way to encounter headlines, but you don’t have to rely on your feed to stay informed. Choose a few credible news sources that you can check when you’re ready.Ìý
- Step away from conversations. If a group chat or in-person conversation is becoming stressful, take a break or ask to change the subject.Ìý
- Protect your privacy. You can choose how much you want to share about your experiences, thoughts or feelings, both online and in person.Ìý
You can’t control what other people post, say or do, but you can make choices about how you engage with them.Ìý
3. Focus on what you can controlÌý
When there’s uncertainty or a lot happening in the world, it can be easy to spend energy thinking about things outside of your control. Shifting some of your attention toward your daily life can help you feel more grounded.Ìý
Focus on things you can influence, such as:Ìý
- Keeping a regular sleep routineÌý
- Eating regularly and drinking enough waterÌý
- Getting outside or moving your bodyÌý
- Going to class and keeping up with your routineÌý
- Making time for hobbies and activities you enjoyÌý
- Choosing how often you check the news or social mediaÌý
- Spending time with people who help you feel supportedÌý
You may also find it helpful to take action around something that matters to you. Volunteering, helping someone in your community or learning more about an issue can give you a constructive place to direct your time and energy.Ìý
4. Disconnect and connect with othersÌý
Taking a break from the news doesn’t have to mean ignoring what’s happening. Sometimes it simply means making space for other parts of your life.Ìý
Spend time with friends or roommates, go for a walk, attend a campus event, work on a hobby or do something else that helps you feel present. Consider putting your phone away or silencing notifications so you can focus on what you’re doing and the people you’re with.Ìý
Talking with someone you trust can also help when current events are weighing on you. Reach out to a friend, roommate, family member or someone else you feel comfortable talking with. You can talk about what’s bothering you or simply spend time together doing something unrelated to the news.Ìý
Get support when you need itÌý
If stress related to current events is affecting your daily life, you don’t have to manage it on your own. CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï offers resources to support students.Ìý
Peer wellness coaches are trained CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï students who can help you navigate concerns like stress, social media use, time management, relationships and self-care.Ìý
CAPS provides mental health support for CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï students, including counseling, workshops, groups and crisis support. You can also connect with a counselor through Let’s Talk for an informal consultation about a specific concern or to learn more about available resources.Ìý
Taking care of yourself and staying informed can coexist. Pay attention to how the news and social media are affecting you, give yourself space to disconnect when you need it and reach out for support when things feel overwhelming.Ìý