News Check — Twice a Day, Not All Day

Pick two fixed times a day to catch up on the news — for example late morning and early evening — and keep news and social media apps closed in between.

The practice

1. Choose two fixed times to catch up on the news, for example once late morning and once early evening.
2. Between those times, leave news and social media apps closed.
3. Step away from phone, TV and computer screens for a while.
4. Use the freed-up minutes for something that helps you unwind: a few deep breaths, a stretch or a short walk.

Where it fits in a day

• Late morning: the first check comes after the start of the day, not as the first thing you read on waking.
• Early evening: the second check closes the day's news before the wind-down hours.
• In the gaps: the minutes that used to go to scrolling go to breathing, stretching or a short walk instead.

Why it works

• Informed, not flooded. Being informed is useful; a constant stream of information about negative events can be upsetting.
• It is the CDC's own suggestion. The CDC's guidance on coping with stress is to limit news to a couple of times a day and to disconnect from phone, TV and computer screens for a while.

Category

Stress. If stress feels unmanageable, talk to someone you trust or a health professional — a news schedule is a habit, not a treatment.

Sources

• CDC — Managing Stress

AgeGen mental-recovery practices are drawn from authoritative health agencies. We never claim therapeutic effects unsupported by the linked sources.