It may seem very natural to want to constantly be updated on the most latest news these days – be it the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in your area or in the world as a whole, or the most recent updates on the lockdown and any government policies that come with it.
While it’s important to remain informed about what’s going on around the world during this time. What's more important is to take care of your mental health through the process.
Try to maintain a sweet balance between being adequately-informed and over-informed. Saturation from the over-information you’re receiving via the news and social media may be one of the most significant factors contributing to your anxiety which may already be heightened and more difficult to control during this time.
It's important to strike a balance so as to ensure you don’t end up feeling overwhelmed or extremely anxious during today’s increasingly uncertain times.
Set specific times during the day to check the news and stick to them:
Set aside a specific time during the day when you listen to the news or receive updates from your social media on what’s going on in the world. Not, only will this help provide a structure to your day, it will also help limit the consumption of news and social media that has the potential to feed and exacerbate your anxiety.
Get information only from authentic sources:
Social media is abuzz with information on COVID-19, many of which are factually incorrect and feeding people’s fears & contributing to the general anxiety. It’s important to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff and keep oneself away from all the misinformation. We should rely on information only from authentic & reliable sources.
Switch off:
Set aside time every day to exercise, meditate, virtually reconnect with friends & family, indulge in a hobby, spend quality time with family, etc.– just about anything which enables you to switch off and take a break from all the information you’re absorbing.
Starting off with these methods should ensure you are successfully able to restrict the intake of information that’s causing you to feel more anxious.
Happy switching off!