This is the first in a series of posts by Girls’ Night In in collaboration with Thrive Global.
I think we can all agree that the past few months have been insane. The news cycle has been so fast-paced that it’s been a difficult tradeoff between staying in-the-know and staying somewhat sane.
On the Internet, the news is never done. But while it’s tempting to be glued to Twitter or other social media channels to keep up with what’s happening, doing so will undoubtedly cause you to burn out on the news.
We asked some of our readers at Girls’ Night In to tell us how they’ve changed (or haven’t changed) their news consumption habits since the election. Here’s what they said:
1. They’re leaning on podcasts that summarize the news in an accessible format.
“I subscribed to the NYT podcast The Daily. It sort of keeps me from checking in on the news TOO frequently.” — @monsieurwaldo
“I am loving Pod Save America and Pod Save the World. Really solid commentary in an accessible format ??” — @adriennermarshall
2. They’re utilizing news apps.
“I love using the news app on iPhone! I also have the Cosmo app and BuzzFeed’s app — not the most legitimate news sites but I love the fun pop culture stuff!” — @allygetsfit
3. They’re relying on traditional, trusted news sources and avoiding social feeds.
“Such a good question. I read the Associated Press and try to make sure I’m in a good mental state before doing so lol.” — @planetleah
“I stopped looking at the battles on Facebook and check in with CNN in the AM.” — @jennyfromtheblock325
“I’ve been trying to not read anything posted on social media regarding news and relying on The New York Times and other journals. But I don’t check too often since it gets overwhelming.” — @themindfulgarden
“I’ve been bouncing between The Guardian and FiveThirtyEight and, frankly, flat out avoiding anything Facebook. Leave it to politics to cure me of my social media addiction.” — @marylewwho
4. They’re rethinking what the news could look like for the busy and overwhelmed.
“We should allow people to check out or pause and return. I envision a website where someone can say how long they’d like to be away from the news and what kinds of news they’d like when they return,” says Melody Kramer in an article she wrote on how to “design the news for people who are burned out.” She writes that “after this election, journalists must take care of themselves,” promoting self-care for journalists especially.
When asked whether her news consumption habits have changed personally, Melody writes, “I don’t think my habits have changed, but I try to take Saturdays off from the Internet in general.”
Tell us — how are you changing your news consumption habits? Have you found any apps or podcasts you’re enjoying? Are you staying off social media? Tweet us @girlsnightinHQ or comment below!
Illustration by Jade Schulz.
Originally published at girlsnightinclub.com.
Originally published at medium.com