Welcome to Vol. 2 of our Survival Guide for Concerned Citizens! If you missed Vol. 1, find it here: bit.ly/SurvivorGuideVol1
Even though these are meaty issues, we definitely didn’t capture all that it takes to build a strong, resilient local community. The work continues. Send us your best ideas, opinions and expert takes: letters@boulderweekly.com.
This week, I want to talk about something we’re the experts on: local news. Specifically, I want to talk about how to not stress yourself out with the news.
Obviously, we want you to read the news. It makes you a better, more informed and engaged citizen. (And we wouldn’t have jobs without you.)
But what we don’t want is for the news to consume your life, to stress you out, to become a thing you feel compelled to do even though it’s bad for your. Or, worse still, a thing you check out from because you know it’s bad for you.
People are often surprised to hear that I don’t consume news outside of my job. I pick up what I need to know during my work hours and from my more-connected friends and family. But I maintain strict boundaries around my news consumption. Journalism is my job. I don’t make it my life.
Unless you are a fellow journalist, you don’t share my privilege of having the news be your job. So how do you fit it in without letting it consume your life (especially these days, when every hour brings another dire headline)?
There are thankfully dozens of guides on how to thoughtfully consume news. Whether you’re a news junkie or an anxious avoidant who wants to be more informed, here are my tips for how to healthfully tune in.
Limit your consumption. Be honest about how much news you can read/watch/listen to without going crazy. An hour a week? 10 minutes a day?
However much it is, put it on the schedule like you would a meeting or gym time. Then stick to it: When the time’s up, move on with your day.
Plan for good after care. Treat news like a traumatic experience you need to intentionally recover from (which, let’s be real, it often is). Actively plan to read the news and then follow that up with exercise, a homemade meal or a little treat from your favorite spot — whatever gets you out of your head, back into your body and reminds you that, for now, you’re safe. You can make it a ritual: Sunday morning news reading followed by a walk, hike or tea with friends.
Research when you need to; rest when you can. Other journalists might consider this sacrosanct, but I think it’s OK to skim just the headlines and only go in depth on the stories that are interesting, relevant and/or might require your input in the near future. (Note: If you're going to comment on a story on social media, maybe read it before you form an opinion about it.)
I don’t read every single article every single day, or even every week. The headlines let me know roughly what’s going on and when. If I know there’s something coming up — like an election or a public meeting — that needs my attention, I’ll set aside more time to research before engaging.
Treat the news like you would studying for a test. The test being: Do you know what you need to know to make an informed decision? Set aside time to learn what you need to, when you need to.
Find a form of news that works for you. News is kind of like drinking from a firehose. It’s coming at you all the time, and it doesn’t always step back and offer a high-level look at what’s going on.
If you need a break from the madness, seek out outlets that provide context over quick-hit pieces or that sum things up on a slower timeline: once a week or once a month.
I love Vox for national and global issues. We’re biased, but Boulder Weekly also tries to sum up recent news stories in our weekly Gov’t Watch and BoCo, Briefly offerings. And practically every outlet offers a newsletter that rounds up the latest headlines (their own and those from other outlets) — digestible, quick reads to be perused at your leisure.
Advocate for the news you want to see. This doesn’t only mean what topics you want covered, but how you want the information delivered. Explainers? Listicles? Bullet points? A summary at the top?
I can’t speak for other outlets, but if Boulder Weekly hears from enough of you, we’ll change what we’re doing. Send us an email: editorial@boulderweekly.com
Support local news. Although it doesn’t compare to the halcyon days of journalism, Boulder County is blessed with a rich media ecosystem. But we’ll only have that as long as readers support us.
Although money is what we need most, you can also help by contributing opinion pieces or letters to the editor, story ideas and/or by sharing and interacting with our news stories, wherever you see them.
It’s OK to step away. Being informed is important, but so is your mental health. Knowing everything but being capable of doing nothing about it does not make you a better citizen. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup.
If you need a timeout from the news, take it. If the world starts falling apart (even more than it currently is) trust me, you’ll hear about it. You can tune in when you need to.
That’s what we’re here for: To sit in the government meetings, watch the budgets and generally keep an eye on things. We’re not going anywhere (for now) so we promise to be here when you get centered and come back.
Other hyper-local news you might want to check out.
- KGNU (community radio station covering Boulder County; free)
- The Mountain-Ear (in print and online with a paywall, covering Nederland and the mountain communities)
- Left Hand Valley Courier (online weekly with a paywall and in print monthly; covering Niwot and Gunbarrel)
- Boulder Reporting Lab (free; online; primarily covering City of Boulder)
- Yellow Scene (free; online and in print monthly; covering primarily Erie and East County)
- Longmont Herald (Substack newsletter covering Longmont; starting at $5/monthly; website pending)
- Lyons Recorder (online weekly; free; covering Lyons)
For state coverage:
- Colorado Sun (online; free; plus multiple specialized newsletters)
- Colorado Newsline (online; free)
- CPR (online and radio; free)
- 5280 (online for free; in print monthly for $6.99)
- Westword (online and in print weekly; free)