These days, it seems like each morning brings news of a new conflict somewhere around the world. As the world becomes more and more uncertain, people must make an important trade-off: turn off the news channels and risk losing the opportunities for contingency planning or stay updated by the minute, and often ruin their mental health in the process.

Fortunately, or at least as fortunately as possible given the circumstances, there is an in-between that can afford you some semblance of mental peace without having to forgo the important information relevant to staying prepared and making informed choices for your livelihood.

First, analyse what kind of news you require. Are you managing the supply chain for a multinational, handling finances and stocks, or simply have friends and family in a war-affected country? Instead of trying to track every headline, choose what is relevant to you and focus on that.

Next, schedule when you wish to receive news. Pick times when you are mentally charged and ready to take on some load because chances are, the news will either require you to take active steps to prepare for a change, or it will pull you down mentally.

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It is important to choose trustworthy websites and channels to source your information, rather than doom scrolling social media, which can be counterproductive. Use filtering tools such as news alerts on important topics, curated market reports, etc., that can cut through unnecessary sensationalism to get you news in the most clear and concise format possible.

Practising emotional boundaries is very important in times like these. While it is natural to feel deeply disturbed by what is happening around the world, it is also important to take care of oneself and not give in to impulses. Digital or social guard-railing helps. This includes muting or unfollowing accounts that repeatedly monger fear and distress through their content, turning off unimportant notifications and setting screen time limits for yourself.

According to Educational Psychologist, Sara Mehzabeen, harrowing news, not unlike what we are being exposed to at this moment, can shake even the best of resolves.

“And that’s okay,” she affirms.

She adds, “The first step to feeling better is to acknowledge your feelings of discomfort or sadness.”

Distracting yourself is the second step.

“It may even be that one is unable to shake off feelings of despondency and distract themselves; that, in itself, is acknowledgement enough,” Mehzabeen adds.  

In moments such as these, she also suggests calming techniques such as sipping water and moving around, and grounding techniques, such as listening to distinct sounds and touching something around you.

We cannot control world events, but we can advocate for peace from where we are.

“Instead of constantly guilt tripping, look for ways to donate to charities that do good work, pray if that's something that gives you a sense of peace, or choose to raise your voice for causes that matter to you, to reduce feelings of helplessness,” Sara Mehzabeen concludes.