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Do you feel frustrated at how much time you spend on media sites like YouTube, Reddit, TikTok, or Twitter?
One of the big challenges of being a human in the 21st century is the unrelenting bombardment of media and information from every device that we frequently use.
We are fed an algorithmically determined line-up of content to maximize our engagement with a platform that is designed to maximize revenue at the expense of your attention.
However, you can take advantage of the bounty of information we have access to without completely drowning in it.
The trick is to practice what’s called “Curated Consumption.”
In today’s featured article, I’ll talk about this concept and provide a 5-step plan for practicing it.
What is Curated Consumption?
Curated Consumption simply means that you are more directly in control of the content you’re consuming every day.
There is no denying it, platforms like YouTube, Reddit, podcasts, blogs, and websites have become an important part of how we access information and learn more about the things that intrigue us.
Unfortunately, the downside is that there’s so much useless “clickbait” designed to hijack your attention that well-intentioned time spent researching something helpful turns into time-wasting scrolling that gets you nowhere.
Curated Consumption is a way of getting more of what you like, whilst getting less of the time-wasting filler that can eat away at your day.
Scott H. Young (who is credited with coming up with the concept) talks more about it here.
So, here’s how you do it.
Step 1: Be Conscious of Bad Media
Be aware of how much “negative” media you’re consuming.
In this case negative means anything that wastes time (mindless scrolling through TikTok, YouTube, browsing Reddit threads, etc).
Here are some common examples:
- TikTok shorts
- YouTube shorts
- Mindless browsing
- Scrolling Reddit/Quora/online community platform with an endless stream of content.
Another form of negative media consumption is compulsively listening to bad news.
Large media networks know that the more raw emotional reactions their story elicits the higher their clicks and views.
However, this is terrible for your mental health, as you are powerless to stop all the evils that take place in every remote corner of Earth.
A lot of this is about dialing into how you feel.
Are you wasting time mindlessly consuming clickbait media or are you consistently feeling negative and bleak about the world?
These are huge warning signals that you need to start curating your media consumption.
Discover how to break free from the endless cycle of negative news and reclaim your peace of mind with these 5 effective strategies to stop the doomscrolling habit.
Step 2: Cut Out Toxic Profiles or Content
What is the content or people who contribute most to your negative media consumption patterns?
If there is a type of content or a specific bunch of people that causes negativity and makes you waste time, start cutting them out or silencing their profiles.
On social media platforms like Twitter (or X) this is as simple as not following somebody.
On YouTube, you can selectively tell the algorithm to stop showing you a certain type of content by selecting the icon that appears when you hover over a video (it looks like three vertical dots – and you can say that you’re both not interested and not to recommend a specific YouTube channel).
If the social media profiles are of friends and loved ones, every platform offers a way of muting them without blocking or removing those profiles from your friend’s list.
So if you feel that a certain type of content produces a negative feeling, then be proactive about removing it from your
Step 3: Get More of What You Enjoy
Now it’s time to focus on the stuff that you enjoy and that brings a positive contribution to your life.
Focus on the stuff that helps you learn and grow.
For example:
- YouTube channels about hobbies that offer invaluable insights.
- Any online communities that you are engaged in that have a positive influence on your life.
- Websites, articles, and blogs that regularly publish content that you enjoy reading and help deepen your understanding of a personal or professional field of interest.
- Any podcasts or audio-based media you enjoy listening to.
- Books and other long-form content that challenges you and stretches your thinking abilities.
Understanding the media you like that has a positive impact on your life helps you instantly identify the stuff you should start cutting out.
Step 4: Focus on Quality, Not Quantity
Make some effort to replace some of the time you’d spend on less productive media with longer-form content – like audiobooks and podcasts.
This does two important things.
- It makes you aware of just how much time you spend following the algorithm to nowhere in your browsing habits.
- You’ll find yourself spending less time overall consuming information because longer-form content requires more involved listening and processing.
Look for high-quality sources of information about things you’re involved with from writers that you enjoy reading or publications that are known to produce quality material in whatever field you’re interested in.
This is the equivalent of eating healthy meals instead of choosing convenient, unhealthy fast food.
Scott H. Young recommends bypassing the algorithm entirely and using a Really Simple Syndication (RSS Web Feed) such as Feedly.
An RSS is an old-fashioned tool that allows you to subscribe to social media pages, websites, blogs, and even Instagram and Twitter pages.
The RSS completely bypasses the stream of content that the algorithm on these platforms has determined will keep you on the website the longest (usually with clickbait rubbish, disaster porn, or anything designed to elicit negative emotions).
An RSS takes a bit of effort to set up.
But, instead of having to wade through trash to get to the insightful stuff, you can set up a curated feed that brings you the information you want from the sources that you most like, without being tangled up in the time-wasting content on the various platforms mentioned.
Final Thoughts on Curated Consumption
Setting up strategies to curate the information we’re exposed to might seem like a strange concept to some, but in today’s era of information overload and attention-hijacking scams, it’s becoming mandatory for peace of mind.
Following some or all of the strategies I mentioned here can allow you to set up an informative and educational web of content that supports your growth and development, instead of dragging you down and wasting your time.
And if you want more resources about curated consumption, be sure to check out these blog posts:
Finally, if you need help with building habits, then check out this nine-step blueprint that walks you through the entire process of creating lifelong habits.)
S.J. Scott
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