Whether you’re a PR professional who scours media as part of their job or just someone trying to stay well-informed, you’re likely assaulted all day long with the latest breaking news headlines. And that’s not necessarily a good thing.
New studies show that reading the news constantly can be stressful and even unhealthy. We have more options for consuming news than ever—social media, radio, print, broadcast and digital—but are we consuming media in a thoughtful and healthy way?
If you’re dissatisfied with your current approach to the news here are three ways you can more thoughtfully consume media and change up your routine:
1. Learn to Skim
If the time it takes to read the news is keeping you from consuming more of it, then learning to skim the news could be a good tactic to employ in your daily routine. For many professionals, the 30 minutes it might take to read the paper front to back could be time better spent addressing a client need. Instead, searching a newspaper or website for headlines and skimming articles of interest to you can provide ideas and trending topics in half the time.
Newsletters such as TheSkimm are great for digesting the news in a quick and efficient manner. Additionally, Apple’s news app is a fast way to read headlines and timely topics quickly. On the app, users can select which publications and topics are most important to them to make a customized feed of stories.
2. Read the Newspaper
It’s no secret that print newspapers are on the decline, giving way to online articles and digital-only publications, such as the Huffington Post or Buzzfeed. However, reading the news in print can be a great way to identify timely topics and consume more headlines and news in a shorter amount of time. By reading the paper instead its digital counterpart, your eye will be forced to read over all parts and sections of the paper, as opposed to only reading specific sections of a website. Additionally, reading print publications can allow you to identify recurring columns and storylines, as they usually appear in the same part of the newspaper on certain days of the week.
3. Try a New Publication
In today’s media landscape, new news platforms and publications are created every day, including digital or social media-only outlets. If you have stuck to your current routine for a while now, it could be a good idea to change things up and try out a new media platform for a week or two. Emerging platforms such as Thrive Global from The Huffington Post’s Arianna Huffington, or even news shows on Snapchat Discover could help you think outside the box and provide new ideas and perspectives for your client’s stories. You never know what creative ideas you could think of for your financial client by reading Refinery29 or Buzzfeed.
Everyone consumes media differently so find a combination that works for you and create a new routine to work with your schedule. It could lead to new ideas and information!
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