Doomscrolling detox: Stay informed without spinning out

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Let me tell you my dirty little secret: I’ve trained and written about content marketing for nearly a decade, but if I had my druthers, I’d have no social media presence at all. For me, social media is a place to share content, but it’s not a place I enjoy hanging out.

A big part of that is because the news cycle and opinionated commenters can take over your feed, causing stress, fear, and frustration — and sending you spiraling to The Bad Place mentally and emotionally — if you don’t take control. Fortunately, I learned early on that it’s up to me to control the content I take in and how I keep it from affecting my mood.

Here are five ways to ensure that you’re consuming the news you need — without letting it consume you in the process.

1. Narrow your focus

Maybe you’ll choose to focus on local and state political issues and elections rather than national ones. Maybe you’ll focus more on the way the news affects your real estate business or the economy rather than its broader global implications. Maybe you’ll focus on a particular issue, like LGBTQ+ rights, DEI or tech platform policies, rather than trying to know about everything that’s happening every single day.

You can’t keep up with everything, and for your peace of mind, you probably shouldn’t. Narrowing your focus can help you stay more in control of your emotional response.

2. Limit your consumption

Consider subscribing to newsletters like Morning Brew or your local newspaper’s daily email roundup. Rather than constantly scrolling your social media feed for more and more news coverage, check it when that newsletter hits your inbox, then leave it alone.

Consider taking a day or two off each week, making them news-free so that you can protect your peace. Remember that news coverage is designed for quick clicks and maximum page views. A curated feed from a trusted source can give you the big picture while keeping you out of a rabbit hole.

3. Curate your feed

Next time you scroll through your social media feed, notice the way you react to the content you’re seeing.

• Are there suggested accounts that get your blood boiling? Snooze suggestions from the algorithm.
• Are there accounts that are suddenly political without adding anything but vitriol to the conversation? It may be time to mute or unfollow.

Remember, even if they agree with your point of view, content creators who live only to keep you stirred up won’t help you feel better.

Consider reserving some social media accounts for information and education while making others an escape. For example, LinkedIn could be a place for keeping up with serious conversations about the news of the day, while Instagram is a place for inspirational quotes, cat videos and other fun content.

Finally, consider taking a social media fast of a week or more, batch-scheduling your own content with a tool like Buffer instead of logging in each day.

4. Consider new platforms

Newer social media platforms like Bluesky and Threads may offer more options for customization and for avoiding some of the more prominent and politicized sources of misinformation that flourish on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter. (If you’re looking for more information about newer platforms, be sure to check out Jessi Healey’s Trending column.)

If there are platforms that no longer work for you or that you no longer want to be part of, consider removing your content or deactivating your account. Here are instructions for doing so from Meta and X platforms as well as TikTok.

5. Touch grass

This is where we get into the nitty gritty: Replace doomscrolling with positive, productive action taken in the real world.

Spend some of the time you used to spend staring at your phone in one of the following ways:

• Volunteering with a cause you believe in
• Working every day to grow or refine your business
• Taking a class to improve your skills
• Reading a book you’ve never had time to read before
• Planning a trip with family or friends (or both)
• Socializing at a third place like a club, church or professional organization
• Focusing on your physical health at a yoga studio, gym or by playing team sports
• Trying something new — learn an instrument, try out for a play at the local community theater or take an art class.

The point is to get off of your phone and out of your head, replacing negative news and content with positive momentum that pays dividends in your own life and in the community you serve.

You may just find that once you get out into the real world, you start to have conversations that really matter. You meet people with different perspectives. You’re exposed to new ideas. You broaden your horizons and expand your perspective — and that’s good for you and the world.

Email Christy Murdock