I don’t think it is a secret that it is important to stay politically informed. Politics shapes our world and makes an impact on our everyday lives through economic and social policy. However, it would be naive to say staying informed is easy. The constant news cycle is straight-up overwhelming. We have access to so much information at the touch of our fingertips that it can be hard to pay attention without heaping amounts of stress from continuous coverage, social media, and misinformation. It is so crucial that we are able to stay informed without tons of mental fatigue.
Before you start consuming news, it is important that you choose credible sources. Many organizations produce news content, and many are responsible for the spread of misinformation. It can be hard to determine which news sources are reliable, especially with the influx of misinformation and bias in the past few years. Ad Fontes Media, a public benefit corporation, created the helpful chart below to help media consumers be more informed about where their information is coming from. It labels the bias of media producers, as well as the reliability of their news.
I would recommend taking a look at the chart and determining 2-3 sources that you trust, ideally in the green box, which highlights organizations that are the least biased and the most reliable. Two of my personal favorites are NPR and AP. Though you should not take everything these organizations say as gospel, they tend to be more reliable and less biased than many other news groups.
Now that you’ve chosen some source that you trust, explore the types of content you want to consume. Many of these organizations produce print news, digital journalism, podcasts, etc. Like many young people, I do not receive a physical newspaper. I rely on digital news, podcasts, and videos for my information.
Podcasts are definitely a favorite of mine. They provide an easy way to integrate mindful media consumption into your daily routine. Whether walking to class, getting ready in the morning, or driving to work, it is rather easy to find time to turn on a podcast. I would recommend NPR’s Up First podcast. Every morning, they provide coverage of three of the biggest news stories of the day. Usually, the episodes are under 15 minutes, making the content super digestible and a quick and easy way to stay informed.
Though it is always important to stay informed, setting boundaries is just as crucial. According to the American Psychological Association, psychologists are seeing an increase in news-related stress. So don’t be afraid to set some personal parameters. Some boundaries you could set include:
- Setting specific times to check the news
- Turning off on-essential news notifications
- Taking breaks from political news consumption
- Avoiding news topics that may be overly personal or stressful
- Being cognizant of your social media usage
Though none of these boundaries are going to magically make politics less stressful, they can reduce the stress you may carry while following the news. It is important to be a critical consumer of news and stay informed about politics, but don’t forget to give yourself some grace.
Sydney Helmuth 