A simple way to look at gathering information
In the data world, there is a term called Garbage In, Garbage Out (GIGO) – if you enter flawed data, you will get flawed results. In the nutrition world, the same is true. If we eat food that has a negative effect on our body, we will damage our health.
GIGO holds true in mental and emotional health too. The more we take in stressful information, the more we will be weighed down, anxious, and discouraged. What are you taking in and how often? Are you gathering information several hours each day, or are you limiting your exposure to the news?
And how are you taking in information? Consider that when we watch the news, the producer of the news decides what to tell us, how much to tell us, and at what level of drama (notice the alarming, tense music). After all, Jaws is not the same movie with the volume off :)
Reading news on our phone or computer allows us to scan quickly for key points that matter. Reading news from highly reputable sources – well-known research centers like Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic and the CDC – allows us to focus on the facts not the fear. This is not the time to look to untrained sources for health advice.
While we want to stay up-to-date with important information to help us stay safe and healthy, sifting through a lot of negative, often dramatically shared information weighs us down. To improve your mental and emotional health, consider what you are taking in, from where, and how often.
