Q: I can’t tear myself away from the constant stream of news alerts. Frankly, it’s throwing me off my game. How do I cope?
A: You are not alone! The whole country—indeed the world—is on the receiving end of the torrent of news that is being characterized as unprecedented, unpredictable and unavoidably disruptive. And, note that the aforementioned adjectives are not a complete description of what seems to be a new reality—a dystopian world that we have to make sense of each day.
“Tweeting” has added more velocity to the news and the content of the tweets causes us to zig and zag. Our internal clocks, social rhythm and capacity to make sense of the news cycle are out of sync. And as a result, many of us are, like you, thrown off our game. How do you cope? The answer is simple—take a break from the news instead of being jerked around by news alerts.
Also, ask yourself the following questions:
- Why are you watching and listening to the news? Note: Don’t be fooled by this simple question. When you answer the question you may discover how you can “disrupt” or “leverage” the current narrative.
- Are you emotionally intelligent? Are you able to listen and not be “triggered”? If the answer is “no,” recognize that you are giving away your power by allowing yourself to be carried along in emotional currents.
- What steps and actions will you take to expand your emotional intelligence?
Also,
- I wonder if you are effectively applying your attention to your work? Are you using the “news” as a pacifier for a career that is not challenging or a life that is uninspiring?
- Are you multi-tasking? Note: Focus on one task or activity at a time. Multi-tasking is a myth. Don’t believe me, read my favorite report, “Brain, Interrupted”:
Remember: How you spend your time, where you place your attention is up to you. And, how you react or respond to the swirl of news and events around you is up to you. You can get sucked into a vortex of ineffectiveness or you can navigate through the storm; it’s always your choice.