Most, if not all, of you are in the security business. Our business is to keep abreast of what is happening in this crazy world. No businessperson worth his/her salt keeps their head buried in the sand while the world's events swirl around them.
When I was recruiting at the CIA for new officers many years ago, we looked for candidates' knowledge of and interest in current events, especially what was happening internationally.
At Microsoft, my team and I were responsible for securing and protecting the people and assets of one of the world's largest and most profitable companies. It was our duty, no, our obligation, to make sure we knew what was happening in the world that could threaten the company. Like many of our peer corporate security organizations, we even had dedicated intelligence teams to analyze issues that could threaten the company.
I am all for being an informed citizen and businessperson. But let's get real here. We can become addicted to social media and the news. Our heads are already buried in our phones constantly. Could you look at any airport or public place and not notice what most people are doing? Looking at their phones. They might be texting or posting on Facebook, but many are checking out social media and the news. The onslaught of both is overwhelming. You can consume social media 24/7 if you want to.
Like many of you, I am guilty of this. I check the news regularly, browse YouTube for current events and fun stuff, post on FB, IG, and LinkedIn, and listen to podcasts that I hope will add to my knowledge base. But if we're not careful, all this “stuff” can mess with our minds and spirits.
And yes, sports fans, that includes the news!
The Depression Pit
Today's social media or news isn't designed to raise your spirits. You hear about the bad stuff: shootings, crime, war, divisive politics, economic upheaval, inflation, climate change, natural disasters, the border crisis, Ukraine/Russia, Israel/Hamas. The list is endless. This constant exposure to negative news can take a toll on your mental well-being, adding to the cacophony of digital and sensory inputs attacking your brain and heart.
There is nothing wrong with posting about an event you went to or a trip you have taken. No worries. I do it all the time, and those of you who are FB friends of mine can attest to that, but too much social media and too much news are not good. You end up not being able to tell the forest from the trees. You are not "present" and "mindful" of your surroundings. Your family, your friends, the beauty of nature, your life. You are too busy constantly tracking everything happening in the world.
Why do you think so many people in this world are anxious? Just look at some of the studies that have been performed in the past few years regarding the state of stress in the U.S.
The Research Tells the Story
According to the American Psychiatric Association's 2024 annual mental health poll, fully 43% of adult Americans feel more anxious this year than they did the previous year. This was up from the previous two years.
Recent research studying news-seeking and emotional responses has found that more exposure to the latest headlines—whether through traditional news outlets or highlighted on social media—can undercut mental health. One study, which surveyed 2,251 adults in the spring of 2020, found that the more frequently people sought information about COVID-19 across various mediums—television, newspapers, and social media—the more likely they were to report emotional distress
Another study, conducted by Matthew Price, PhD, of the University of Vermont in Burlington, followed 61 young adults for 30 days and asked them to assess how they were getting their pandemic-related news each day, along with documenting any symptoms of depression or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 2022). Price and his colleagues found an association between the amount of exposure to news on social media and depression and PTSD symptoms.
In a 2002 American Psychological Association study, a majority of adults (62%) disagreed with the statement, “Our children are going to inherit a better world than we did,” and 63% disagreed with the statement, “I feel our country is on the path to being stronger than ever.”
More than three-quarters of adults (76%) said that the future of our nation is a significant source of stress in their lives, while 68% said this is the lowest point in our nation’s history that they can remember. Two in three adults (66%) said the current political climate is a significant source of stress in their lives. Further, three in five adults (60%) said that the current social divisiveness in the nation causes them stress. Slightly more than three in five adults (62%) reported that the racial climate in the U.S. is a significant source of stress in their lives.
Lead By Example, Not By Fear
There is a direct correlation between the amount of news and social media you absorb and your state of anxiety. As leaders, we must be the ones to manage our stress levels more than the people we lead. If your troops see you stressed, how does it affect their stress levels? It increases their stress levels of course. This doesn’t mean you, as a leader, won’t feel stressed. You will. That is the nature of the job when you assume the mantle of leadership.
However, you must model behaviors that show how stress can be properly dealt with and mitigated so you can move forward with your mission and operational business goals.
So, what is the solution? It's simple: Take a social media break. Yes, it can be that simple.
Take a 24-hour period in the week and don't look at any social media or news. I do this regularly. The day of the week you choose is up to you. I find Fridays to Saturdays best for me. On my phone, I turn off all notifications from news feeds and social media accounts. I have engaged in challenges where I put my phone away for a 24-hour period. Problem solved. I also didn't watch any news on TV during that period.
Now, I get it. We are security leaders. We have to be available. That means your troops and bosses must be able to call you or leave a text message, especially if a crisis breeds. Nothing wrong with that. That is a push to you. I’m talking about the pull. You are “pulling” by watching the news too much. You're pulling by scrolling through X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., or habitually watching your favorite news source on TV too much. You control that. You control whether you access that information and how much time you spend on that.
Take That Media Break
What is the result of cutting off this hypermedia stress? It is thoroughly refreshing. My mind is clear of world events or problems in the country. For a specific period, I am blissfully ignorant of any trauma going on around me. I can concentrate on my family, friends, and pets or have time to self-reflect on myself. My blood pressure and anxiety levels go down, and I am happier. I am more present and there for my family. I come out of these 24-hour periods of no social media physically and mentally refreshed.
Do the world's problems disappear in that 24-hour social media blackout? No, of course not. Hell, they probably got worse. But for that designated period, you control what you see and hear. That is powerful.
Try it. Forget the chatter in the news and talking heads. Forget Biden and Trump. Forget about the Middle East or Ukraine. I know you will benefit from doing this in many ways. Please just put that phone away if you want to see how well you can manage without looking at the illuminated screen every minute of the day.
The world's madness can wreak havoc on you. Don't let it. Control how much content you take in. Don't be absorbed by social media and the news. You may feel pangs of "withdrawal" but once you tame that tiger, you will never look at social media and the news again. Because it no longer has a hold on you.
You’ll be a better leader, and your troops will thank you. Try it and let me know how it goes.
