1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to check the news once per day. Well. 4 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: This is wise for productivity at any point, it is 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: particularly important during times of widespread anxiety. I normally take 6 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast episodes a few weeks ahead. That helps me 7 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: cope with unexpected disruptions to life and expected events too, 8 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: like my fifth child's arrival in late December. We certainly 9 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 1: have had more than a few unexpected disruptions now if 10 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: my kids out of school for the next few weeks 11 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: due to emergency measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 12 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 1: But I decided to swap in a few last minute 13 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: episodes anyway in order to address what everyone is thinking about. 14 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: Like many of us, I spent many hours of the 15 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: past week or so looking at headlines trying to come 16 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: to grips with what a glow bull pandemic might mean. 17 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: I also then realized, at some point, when I was 18 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: looking at the New York Times homepage yet again, and 19 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: my beautiful three month old baby boy was giggling at 20 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: his toys, that this was the wrong way to be 21 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 1: spending my time. We are controlling what we can control 22 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: in this household, continuing the kid's education at home, making 23 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: sure we wash hands, avoiding crowds, and not making any 24 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 1: rash financial moves. But if reading headlines doesn't do anything 25 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: but produce anxiety, then there is no point spending more 26 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 1: time on this than necessary. And so I have a 27 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 1: new rule for myself. Check the news once per day. 28 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: Back many years ago, this is about as often as 29 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: we would have been able to get the news anyway, 30 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: in a morning paper perhaps, or watching the evening news. 31 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: I can remain an informed person by looking at what 32 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: is going on in the world once. Other than that, 33 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: I can help my children with their homeschooling, read books, 34 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: play outside, and watch my baby learn new things every day. 35 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 1: This is a much more productive use of time. Now, 36 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: I will admit that this is not easy. Anxiety induces 37 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:06,560 Speaker 1: us to pick up the phone and see what the 38 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: situation is and see if it has changed. But general 39 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 1: mindfulness helps a lot. When I pick up the phone, 40 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: I try to pause and ask why if I am 41 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: just about to check the news again, well, time to 42 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 1: scroll through baby photos or read something on the kindle 43 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: app Eventually we will be on the other side of this, 44 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: but I think checking news once a day remains a 45 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 1: good rule. Indeed, I might suggest people try subscribing to 46 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 1: a physical newspaper and building the day's news consumption into 47 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: a morning ritual. Then you can spend the rest of 48 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,240 Speaker 1: the day focused on what you need to and not 49 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: on things that won't change whether you read about them 50 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: ten times a day or once, And maybe you could 51 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 1: spend some of the freed up time looking at things 52 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: that do remind you of what is still good in 53 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: the world. Baby giggles and blooming flowers are doing that 54 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: for me and for those I am grateful In the meantime, 55 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,800 Speaker 1: this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making 56 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: the most of our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to 57 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions, 58 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, 59 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b the number 60 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: four then breakfast p o D. You can also shoot 61 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: me an email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart 62 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: media dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with 63 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,880 Speaker 1: all the letters. Thanks so much. I look forward to 64 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production of I 65 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit 66 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 67 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.