80 hours a week


Transcript of the narrated version (3 min).
Narrated with a synthetic voice (Larry). The writing is Esteban Rey's — kilowatto.com.

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80 hours a week. 

Until a few months ago, my news consumption was borderline absurd. A typical day in my life started at 6 am with Las Noticias de las 5:50 on ForoTV. Then at 7 am, I would watch Estrictamente Personal with Raymundo Rivapalacio. By 8 am, I was watching Primera Edición with Pascal Beltran del Rio, while also channel-surfing to Ciro Gómez Leyva on Radio Fórmula. Later, at 11 am, I would catch a bit of Fernanda Familiar on QTF. In the evening, at 7 pm, I would watch The Lead with Jake Tapper, followed by La Hora de Opinar with Leo Zuckermann on YouTube at 8 pm, which I watched religiously. On top of that, I would also randomly consume content from Anderson Cooper, and I would read Reforma, Excélsior, and La Jornada, which might surprise you. Additionally, I was subscribed to Nexos, The Atlantic, Wired, and the New York Times.

What does this say about me?. 

 You can probably deduce my political leanings and place me on the political spectrum, or conclude that I spend a lot on news. But the truth is, I wasted many years of my life being overly informed. What's the point of excessive information, clearly, none. Is it to win an argument with friends about a hot topic because I have more information? The fact is, there are addictions that hide in plain sight, invisible ones. No one in my close circle was shocked that I always had news on in my office, home, car, iPad, or computer. No one labeled me as the news junkie or worried about how I consumed information. In fact, many people would ask me what I thought about some event that had happened in Syria or Western Sahara. Now, with more clarity, I'm convinced that quitting this excessive consumption has been one of my best decisions.

What helped me?. 

 First, a 20-day trip with limited access to news and internet helped me. Second, Marian Rojas-Estape's book, Recupera tu mente, gave me a crucial perspective. This book is about how stress and information overload affect our mental health and how we can regain control of our minds by disconnecting from what unnecessarily consumes us. Looking at statistics on news consumption and this addiction has helped me reaffirm my decision. For example, a Pew Research Center study showed that 30% of Americans are constantly connected to the news, which can increase anxiety and information fatigue. Additionally, according to the Reuters Institute, 38% of news consumers have started actively avoiding certain news due to its negative impact on their well-being. I hope this article makes you reflect on whether you also have invisible addictions. It's essential to recognize them and do something about it before they take control of your life.