Are You A Cable Addict?
By Rebecca Coates Nee
October 15, 2001

I’m back in my old newsroom but now it’s in a high rise near the remains of the World Trade Center. The Goodyear blimp zooms past us to wipe out the rest of the rubble. We try to escape down the stairs but we’re told we have to stay and work. More planes start coming toward windows all around us. This is what happens when you watch too much war coverage right before you go to sleep.

Much of the American public has been affixed to their TV sets since the Sept. 11th attacks, but the rate of cable addiction is particularly high among former and current broadcasters. Then we wonder why we’re having nightmares and trouble sleeping. A producer friend of mine once read a newspaper article on how to reduce stress. The advice: "Don’t watch local news. It’s very depressing."

Not watching the news in these turbulent times obviously isn’t an option for broadcasters. But a lot of people are staying tuned to CNN or MSNBC even when they’re not at the station. After all, they NEED to stay informed so they’ll be better prepared to go after the sixteenth local angle tomorrow. But when does watching All-The-War-All-The-Time become an unhealthy addiction?

A person who isn’t sleeping well or leading a balanced life outside of work isn’t going to make a very productive worker or happy person the next day – in broadcasting or elsewhere. One of my favorite books for those of us searching for a life is "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma. It’s sort of a guide to enlightenment for dummies.

And like the other stress-management experts, one of the author’s secrets to a happy life is — you guessed it — don’t watch the news before bedtime: "The ten-minute period before you sleep and the ten-minute period after you wake up are profoundly influential on your subconscious mind," Sharma writes. "Only the most inspiring and serene thoughts should be programmed into your mind at those times."

What you put into your subconscious mind is what will come out. We can’t cut ourselves off from what’s going on around us. Instead of turning on the early shows when the alarm goes off, write in a journal or watch a sunrise. At night, listen to relaxing music or read a book that’s good for your mind and spirit. You don’t have time for that? Ten minutes is all it takes. Try it. Sometimes just the simplest rituals help keep us focused on the big picture of our lives.