How to Keep Up with the News Without Getting Overwhelmed

A guide to becoming more conscious about what you consume, when you consume it, and how it affects you.

January 14, 2025

Peter Dazeley/Getty Images



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  • Studies suggest that increased exposure to news, whether through traditional media or social media platforms, can negatively impact mental health. In other words, more news correlates with higher anxiety. But the answer is not to check out altogether. In this article, the author shares advice from three experts on how to be more intentional about where, when, and how you catch up on the news so that you don’t become a victim of round-the-clock triggering headlines.

    Staying on top of the news isn’t just a professional necessity; it’s also your social responsibility. But the relentless flood of urgent alerts, reactions, and global reports can often turn your well-intentioned scan of the headlines into an emotional minefield.

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    • RK


      Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.



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  • New!


    HBR Learning

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    Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Stress Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

    How to build resilience at work.

    Read More
    Rebecca Knight

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