Mindful Media Consumption: Finding Calm in a Digital World

Over the past 6 years I have been on a quest to explore and understand the impact of my screen time and social media use on my mental health. The way to do this is through mindful media consumption.

The terms mindfulness and media consumption don’t seem to go together. At first glance, they appear to be polar opposites—two different sides of a coin or even two separate realms of existence. But let me explain why that isn’t true.

What Is Mindfulness?

By now, we’ve all heard that mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and accepting things beyond our control—events, emotions, or otherwise. Mindfulness is about letting go of struggles with perceived negativity and cultivating self-awareness to consciously choose how we react.

Got it? Great. Now let’s talk about media consumption.

What Comes to Mind When You Think of Media Overload?

When you imagine being consumed by media, what do you picture? Maybe:

• A teen avoiding homework to maintain a Snapchat streak.

• A family dinner interrupted by parents glued to their phones.

• An anxious individual obsessively refreshing news about the latest global crisis.

We’ve all experienced media overload in some way. The days of waiting until the 6 PM news are long gone. Instead, we now live in a world where access to information is constant and overwhelming.

The Cost of Staying ‘In the Know’

Yes, staying informed is important. But at what cost?

If you’ve noticed an increased sense of unease, frequent “what if” thoughts about worst-case scenarios, or trouble sleeping, you might be experiencing media-induced anxiety.

The good news? You don’t need a drastic lifestyle change to address this. Instead, you can practice mindful media consumption to reduce anxiety while staying informed.

How to Practice Mindful Media Consumption

Here are the strategies I’ve learned through my own journey of reducing anxiety and finding balance:

1. Track Your Screen Time Use the screen and app timers on your smartphone to assess how much time you’re spending on social media and news apps. Awareness is the first step to change.

2. Streamline Your News Sources Choose one or two trusted newsletters or news outlets to check daily and unsubscribe from the rest. Simplifying your information sources reduces overwhelm.

3. Evaluate Your Social Media Use Count how many platforms you actively use. Do you truly benefit from scrolling through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit for your news?

4. Experiment with Deleting Platforms Start by deleting one social media platform for a week and see if you miss it. Then try another. This is a low-pressure experiment—you can always add it back if needed.

Why It Matters

Mindful media consumption allows you to find your sweet spot—the balance between staying informed and protecting your mental health. By reducing unnecessary information overload, you may notice fewer “what ifs” and a greater sense of calm.

Ready to take the first step? Give these tips a try and see how it impacts your mental state.

Not sure how to implement it on your own? Reach out to learn how I can support you.