That no news is good news has never been more true. Be it on TV, Facebook, YouTube, news websites or brief encounters, the news is everywhere and it's rarely good. With the ongoing pandemic and everchanging conditions, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and unnecessarily stressed about the daily headlines and fluctuations, so if you're feeling like it's all a bit much, it's time to apply the principles of minimalism to the news you consume.

::. More from the Going minimal series .::

If it's really important, someone will let you know.

Although it's natural to feel concern or worry when our social lives, work, education and most of all, our health, are constantly put at risk, remember that besides following official guidelines, there is little one can do. Opening up social media, YouTube or worse, a news website, can instantly heighten anxiety, but that's why it's important to cut down our intake or eliminate it completely.

There are a number of simple changes we can make to guarantee a significant drop in the amount of news we're exposed to. However, if you are concerned about your mental health, it's best to seek professional advice. Minimising news is merely a small step we can all take during these challenging times.

Unfollow and unsubscribe

It's really that simple: unfollow, unsubscribe and delete bookmarks. By doing this, checking on the news becomes a more time-consuming activity as you'll have to type in a URL or search for a website or app.

The aim is to limit the channels that facilitate news delivery, such as Facebook. If you can't, allocate a block of time to ensure your feed only feeds you with things that excite you, are related to your interests or hobbies, or are strictly cute and positive.

Feeds are as the name suggests, so we should make every effort to ensure we're only feeding ourselves things that benefit us in some way. Avoid pages or accounts of random news that, for the most part, will be irrelevant.

If it's important, you'll hear about it

Of course, in volatile times checking what's going on is sometimes needed. We might need to check what's permitted, what's not, what's been cancelled, and so on. But unless it affects your immediate plans, you don't need to hear the news as it happens, maybe not at all, maybe not ever. If it's really important, someone will let you know.

Skip the comments

For a number of years, extreme views and opinions have flooded the comments section of every news article on the planet. And if you do venture down into the depths of article comments, you'll find little has changed during the last 18 months of the pandemic.

Reading divisive and sometimes inflammatory language can be a real downer. Unsurprisingly, the most disconcerting comments tend to come from those with a strong bias or agenda who have not actually read the article, so their comments can be worrying without any basis in fact. With slim chances of valuable nor verifiable information to be found in comments sections, it's best to keep calm and avoid.

Consume consciously

If you have a genuine need to stay up-to-date on news and current affairs, such as assignments or work, set aside a specific amount of time in the day for this. Use a timer to restrict yourself, taking in the news for no longer than you've allowed.

Swap the news for something worthwhile

Since early 2020, most of us haven't felt in control of our own lives and the media does little to counter that. Indeed, it's important to stay abreast of local conditions and play a responsible part to reduce the pandemic's impact on ourselves and others, but there are better ways to fill time.

At the beginning of the pandemic, many of us saw lockdowns and the general need to stay in as an opportunity to learn a musical instrument, foreign language, cook or read more regularly. By mid-2020, there were already reports of those goals being put on the back burner, but there's no reason not to try again, especially since these skills can last a lifetime and also give us a sense of control. If you have been spending any amount of time on the news, replace it with a few minutes to learn or review.

Practice makes perfect

Going cold turkey on the news or the latest on the pandemic is going to be hard if not impossible. Remind yourself with a Post-It, ask those around you to spare you from unessential news, refrain from clicking from one post or article to the next, and although it's not “minimal” to fill the gap with something else, fill it with something you'll enjoy. Eventually, it'll become easier and you may find yourself unaffected by an unforeseen – or conscious – news update.

Going minimal on news is something we can do even after the pandemic. That's not to say we should block out all news. But both deliberate and uncontrolled consumption can do more damage than dampening your mood, so it's important to be aware of the effect it may be having on our mental and physical health, and be more selective about what and how much we consume.