Over a year ago, I made a bold decision: I stopped consuming news. No more scrolling through Facebook for the latest updates, no more news apps pinging my phone with breaking headlines, no more app-curated news on my home screen, and no more hitting SMH before I start working. I went into a complete news blackout. At first, I had reservations that I was cutting myself off from the world. But over a year later, I can confidently say that this decision has brought me nothing but upside.
Most news is shit news. Turn on any news channel, and you’ll be bombarded with stories of disasters, political scandals, economic downturns, and social unrest. While staying informed is often seen as a civic duty, the constant negativity is simply a waste of time, and time was the catalyst for me to cut the news out. Initially, I planned to block out news on the weekdays and then get across the current state of affairs on the weekend. However, I cut the weekends out less than a month into this plan as the weekday benefits were too good not to go all in.
By choosing to step away from the news, I found much more time — an entire week over the twelve-month period.
Before my news blackout, I procrastinated and read news articles before getting stuck into my work, which may happen 1-3 times daily. I also thumbed through Facebook and clicked on their news bait at least once a day. The total time I was wasting was >30 minutes a day.
Total minutes per year: 30 minutes/day × 365 days/year = 10,950 minutes/year
Convert minutes to hours: 10,950 minutes ÷ 60 minutes/hour = 182.5 hours
Convert hours to days: 182.5 hours ÷ 24 hours/day ≈ 7.6 days 182.5 hours÷24 hours/day≈7.6 days
So, 30 minutes of rubbish news daily adds up to approximately 7.6 days per year.
I now dedicate the time I used to spend consuming news to things that genuinely enrich my life: My kids, books, hobbies, exercise, and self-care. Without the noise of the news, I’ve been able to focus on what truly matters to me and align my actions with my values and goals.
I’m not in the financial or property markets and don’t need any news to support my vocation. I can independently research anything I need to know.
The news often creates a sense of urgency and panic. Every story is presented as a crisis that demands our immediate attention. However, stepping away from this constant state of alarm has allowed me to develop a more balanced perspective. I’ve realised that 99% of news stories have fuck-all direct impact on my daily life. This shift in perspective has helped me focus on what I can control and let go of what I can’t, contributing to a much more profound sense of peace.
I don’t know if it has had any impact on my mental health, as this is hard to measure. Scrapping the rubbish social news has, without a doubt, been a positive change. If you are talking about the benefit of marginal gains, then even a 1% improvement in my daily mental health is a win. Over the past year, I generally feel less anxious and more grounded; I attribute my news blackout to some of my mental gains. My mood has improved, and I sleep better. I have created more mental space for positive and constructive thoughts by filtering out the negativity and chaos that often characterise news coverage. Maybe even a stronger sense of calm and optimism has been a benefit.
Of course, living in a news blackout doesn’t mean I’m entirely unaware of what’s happening in the world. I’ve found alternative ways to stay informed that don’t involve a constant barrage of headlines. On two occasions, I have sought relevant news that affects me as a property owner, and I was also keen to learn more about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the war in Ukraine. That is it.
Critical thinking would benefit me if I sought more information independently, as it did in these two isolated cases. Without the influence of sensationalist headlines and biased reporting, if you were curious and inclined to seek information on your terms, you would likely source more perspectives before forming an opinion. This would lead to more nuanced and thoughtful views on various issues rather than accepting the narrative presented to me by mainstream media. However, I haven’t been involved in any news conversations of substance, so this need to source information has yet to happen.
Conversations with friends and family have provided me with the context I need to understand the most important events, and I have been shocked by how little this happens. A quote from a Roman Emperor from 1900 years ago also validated that I don’t need an opinion.
“We have the power to hold no opinion about a thing and to not let it upset our state of mind–for things have no natural power to shape our judgment.” ~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 6.52
We live in a world where attention is a commodity. News outlets, social media platforms, and advertisers compete for a piece. By stepping away from the news (and reducing my social media consumption by 90%), I’ve reclaimed my attention and, with it, my ability to focus on things that genuinely matter. I’ve become more intentional with how I spend my time and where I direct my energy.
Entering into a news blackout over a year ago has been a quality decision. It’s allowed me to reclaim my time, improve my mental health, and focus on what truly matters. While it might not be for everyone, I encourage anyone feeling overwhelmed by the constant barrage of news to consider a break. It’s not about being uninformed; it’s about being intentionally selective about the information we consume and how it affects us. In a world where information is endless and often overwhelming, sometimes the most empowering thing we can do is unplug.