The Best News Balance

Goals: Balance News and Wellbeing

1. Explain how to balance staying informed with minimizing time, effort, and emotional distress.
2. Achieve this best balance through careful thinking and intentional habits.

How to Find Your Best Balance

1. Describe the issue in a way that makes sense to you.
2. Come up with a conclusion that fits your values and priorities.
3. Back this up with reasons to ensure your thinking is careful and sound.

The next section gives an example of this reasoning process.

Worked Example: A Critical Thinking Approach to News

Issue

What is the best approach to the news?

• It’s useful to stay informed so you can protect your interests, understand what’s happening in the world, and contribute wisely to your community or society.

• But:

  • Staying current can take significant time and energy.
  • Some news sources cost money and may not be worth the investment.
  • Much of the news is stressful, negative, and can trigger anxiety, fear, anger, or helplessness, especially when stories are framed in emotionally charged or repetitive ways.

Conclusion

Stay informed enough to protect your interests and contribute wisely—without feeling overwhelmed or wasting energy.
(This balance may differ from person to person.)

Reasoning

1. Your Interests Are Affected by News
   • Laws, policies, taxes, weather, market changes, public health issues, and social movements all shape your daily life. If you remain unaware, you may miss opportunities or fail to defend your values or well-being.
2. Too Much News Comes at a Cost
   • Constant exposure—especially through sensationalist or doom-heavy coverage—can drain cognitive resources, elevate stress hormones, and reduce your capacity for thoughtful action.
   • Information overload often creates a false sense of urgency or helplessness without offering real ways to act.
3. Not All News Is Equal
   • Most news stories do not require your attention or action. Many are repeated across outlets with little new insight. Choosing quality over quantity improves signal-to-noise ratio.
4. A Balanced Approach Offers Best Return on Investment
   • You can meet the goal of being sufficiently informed with minimal input:
     • Skim well-curated summaries.
     • Check once or twice per week.
     • Focus on stories that are relevant, actionable, or affect your principles.
   • This protects your time, mental health, and energy—while still allowing you to make wise, empowered decisions.
5. Mental Energy Should Be Spent Where It Matters Most
   • Instead of reacting emotionally to distant or unchangeable events, a better use of attention is understanding local or domain-specific issues where you can make a meaningful impact.

Final Thought

• Let news be a tool for wise action, not a source of chronic stress or distraction.
  
• Let it inform, not consume.
  
• Find the balance that best serves your life.

Related Topics

Critical Thinking

• This example uses critical thinking—reasoning clearly and carefully about how to act.
  
• CT helps people and groups figure out what’s most likely true and what actions are most worthwhile.

Subjective Conclusion

• The best balance is a matter of personal preference.
• What’s best for you may differ from what’s best for others.

Best

• Best means maximizing your rewards and minimizing your drawbacks in a holistic sense.