Information is available 24/7. Whether it is social media, news articles, emails, or advertisements, the ability to be constantly notified with information, even when we have not actively sought it out, can become overwhelming.

Some of these information sources can promote negative beliefs by making the world seem like a hopeless or scary place to live, such as when the news constantly shares crises and tragedy around the world.

Some input sources reinforce mindless habits such as scrolling through social media feeds that may cause us to unfairly compare our lives to others who have edited theirs with filters, cropping, and well-thought out captions and hashtags that force us to see the feed with a certain perspective. This can provoke a fear of missing out (FOMO) or feeling not good enough, which in turn impacts our sense of self-worth.

Other sources may provide education, stimulating perspectives, or accessible resources. However, with so much competing information, you may doubt the choices you’re actually making. If everyone promises that they’ve got the ‘magic pill’ for happiness or the ‘miracle method’ for parenting, you might find yourself questioning your own decisions and whether they’re in line with the ‘newest and best.’

All types of media serve a purpose and can be informative in their own way. However, when we do not set clear boundaries for what, how, and when we access these sources, it can cause information overload and create pressure to attend to each notification to the point where it feels overwhelming to keep up with them.

The ingredients of our input sources play a role in how we perceive ourselves, other people, and the world around us. I encourage you to look at your own input sources and evaluate which of them are a healthy contribution to your daily life AND in what dose.

~ Declutter your input sources