Dr. Rachel: When 'Informed Enough' is Best

By Dr. Rachel Boehm,

Have you ever caught yourself with a clenched jaw, headache, tight shoulders, and maybe a pit in your stomach? Your sleep is off. You're anxious. You're irritable. Maybe you uncharacteristically snap at someone, like that driver on 66 or the barista who was too slow. You struggle to concentrate as your mind drifts to all the chaos in the world? You turn to the news to get fresh updates to see what chaos has unfolded since you last checked 10 minutes ago. Or to see whether anyone is doing anything about it, or doing enough about it, or at least feeling about it the same way you do…? And you think you’re doing the right thing by being informed until you realize that in your quest for information, the media is part of the problem?

A few months ago, I broke up with a media outlet. They likely haven’t noticed, which reinforces the larger point. I’m just a number to them that only has meaning when rounded to the nearest hundredth or thousandth. They're more alive in my world than I am in theirs.

Remembering that will help you follow the steps outlined below on your quest to be “informed enough.”

What Does 'Informed Enough' Mean?

The first step in that quest is to define what “informed enough” means for you.

Ask yourself, “informed enough to do what?” Are you looking for awareness of the day’s events? Are you looking to be educated on the context around an event? Are you looking to develop expertise for its own sake? Are you looking to build understanding of an issue or candidate so you can cast an informed vote, write a letter to your representative, share something with a friend, or fact-check before reposting?

Those would all be reasons to be “informed enough.” What you want to avoid, however, is just doom-scrolling and doom-posting because you're anxious, scared, overwhelmed, frustrated, or lonely. 

This is not about labeling those feelings as wrong. Nor is wanting connection wrong. It’s the doom-scrolling part that initially feels helpful, but in actuality keeps us in a feeling of, well, Doom. When the scrolling is more of a habit than a choice, leading to, let’s call it a “stress spiral.”

To me, “informed enough” means consuming the news without the anxiety, overwhelm, fear, guilt, vicarious trauma, etc., that can come from information consumption these days. 

We all have different tolerance levels for “enough” about different issues. If the first step is identifying what you want from the source, the second step is to monitor how you feel when engaging with the source you tune into.

A News Break-Up Story

For example, shortly before I broke up with that media outlet (meaning I unsubscribed from their podcasts), I would have told you they were one of my go-to resources for staying informed and getting context on national and international events. 

Then, I realized this particular media source was increasing feelings of anger, frustration, anxiousness, exasperation, impatience, fear, uncertainty, etc. Before I unsubscribed, I first tried listening to the podcast episodes at a different time of day (i.e. the afternoon rather than in the morning). It didn’t help. Second, I started paying attention to whether it was all the outlet’s episodes and hosts or just select ones that were increasing my “stress spiral.” Turns out, it was all of them. Based on that, I unsubscribed. 

I then went through my other information sources, asking myself what purpose I want each to serve? Are they meeting the objectives I want them to? Are they serving in a way that helps me feel informed and empowered? Or, despondent or angry? 

Based on the answers, I unsubscribed from newsletters, YouTube Channels, Podcasts, and so on. Last year, I made similar assessments of and changes to my social media accounts, including how I engage with them, and with whom I engage. 

You can assess your own sources similarly.

Boundary Steps

Once you assess, you can replace the outlets you remove with ones that better meet your current needs. Or you can replace them with an entirely different activity that feels more restorative. If you recall, a few months ago, we talked about the importance of taking time for rest and recovery. That rest and recovery allows you to express your power. It refills your mind, body, and spirit so you can keep showing up for what you care about. 

“Informed enough” doesn’t mean you have to engage with a specific number of sources. If you're currently using five and remove three, you don't have to replace them with anything else. If the two you keep provide you with sufficient information for your desired level of “informed enough,” then stick with two. 

The hardest part will be that Fear-of-Missing-Out (FOMO) around hitting the unsubscribe or the subscription-cancellation button. When you go to break up with the outlets, if you notice a fear that you'll be left out on something important, remind yourself that you can always re-subscribe. So treat this as an experiment, not a permanent lifestyle choice. 

This is also why the steps I outlined above are so important. They likely will reduce the risk of FOMO because they'll help you see you were not really being informed in the first place; you were being sucked in. You're not missing out on information; you're missing out on emotional control. So there is nothing to FOMO about.

Most outlets make their money by keeping you hooked to the platform. Jonathan Haidt (social psychologist and author) has done excellent work documenting this, as has Nir Eyal (thought leader on behavior-based product design).

Surf the Urge

You'll absolutely still feel emotions around the news. Emotions are part of the human experience. Among other things, emotions tell us that something going on matters to us. Checking in with yourself to understand what you're feeling and why is extremely helpful in using those emotions for productive decision-making and healthy coping, rather than engaging in unhealthy coping (e.g., aggression, self-sabotage, drinking, and other substance use). 

You may also find yourself struggling with the break-up. You may reach for that outlet to just do a "quick check" or replace it with something equally unhelpful under the guise of "being informed." As you notice yourself reaching, however, ask yourself, “Why?” What is the purpose? What do I need in this moment? Is it really to catch up on the events of the day, or am I bored? Am I looking for a connection? Am I looking for my views to be reinforced? 

None of that is wrong; it just helps you consume the media more mindfully, better identify those internal triggers, and feel better stepping away when you need to. Give yourself a 2-minute “surf” or a 5-minute “surf.” Tell yourself you can look after two minutes or five minutes. If the urge has passed, then voilà. If it hasn’t, see if you can do another 2- or 5-minute surf, and so on until the urge has passed or you really can’t take it anymore.  

“Surfing the urge” allows you to stay present and grounded, and to double-check that the outlet really is providing you with what you need, rather than simply satisfying a habitual reach for the phone, radio, or TV. In short, it helps you be a mindful media consumer.

Routinely Check-In and Update

Things will shift in your life and the world around you. An outlet might change things up, and suddenly your go-to has to go. Figure out a rhythm for yourself, maybe quarterly or monthly, check in with yourself and your information sources to see what updates, if any, need to happen.  

Dr. Rachel Boehm is a resident of West Falls Church. She’s lived in the area for over 15 years and runs a modern change management firm helping leaders and employers navigate business transitions and constant busyness with less tension for more successful outcomes. Dr. Rachel holds a PhD in psychology focused on individual and organizational behavior.