Take Care 101: Avoid doomscrolling

We continue to grapple with many stressful things in our world, not the least of which is the expansion of COVID-19 cases across our communities. We must remain vigilant and follow the guidelines on social distancing, mask wearing and handwashing to reduce the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, we also must “Take Care” of ourself, our colleagues and loved ones, and, when needed, connect with professionals for additional support. This month, the UNMC Campus Wellness team is sharing research-proven strategies on how best to deal with the stresses of this most unusual year.

Today’s “Take Care” tip: Avoid doomscrolling.

Have you heard of this? It refers to excessive use of or engagement with news, social media and/or internet surfing, especially content that is anxiety-producing. Of course, you want to be informed about what’s going on in the world, but if you find yourself having difficulty getting away from the news, you may want to limit your exposure — maybe checking the news 10 minutes twice a day, for example.

Less doomscrolling creates more time to do things you enjoy. In the comments below, share how you will use this ‘extra’ time.