Benefits of habit “Read world news summaries”

✓ Helps stay informed
✓ Helps with having topics for conversation
✓ Improves outlook on the world
✓ Eliminates the sense of being “in the bubble”

First step:

Once a week

Progress:

1. This morning, read through the international headlines of several chosen publications. Do this once this week.
2. Next week, do the same for two mornings in the row.
3. Keep it up until you spend 5 minutes every morning reading international news summaries and headlines.

Helpful tips to make it a habit:

✓ Same time is key. Select a time, preferably in the morning, to read through the headlines and choose topics that are interesting for you to go in depth. It can be over a cup of coffee or during your morning “toilet time”.
✓ Trigger your mind. If you subscribe to physical publications, have them somewhere visible so you wouldn’t miss them. If you have an electronic version, have it pop up on your phone with the latest news at a set time.
✓ Let the app help. You can also set a reminder to ring you up when it’s time to catch up on world news.
✓ Reward yourself. Once you’ve gone two full weeks of reading news every morning, reward yourself by subscribing to more publications you set your eyes on and that interest you.
✓ Celebrate small victories. Every time you perform this habit, congratulate yourself! Say “I’m awesome” or “I’m so cool” out loud and with a smile on your face.

Tips for beginners:

✓ Choose the material. It’s important to not settle on a single publication. They all have their biases and even with best intentions can make mistakes on painting an accurate picture. Go through several publications and check their outlook on the same topic. Form your own opinion and don’t let others form it for you.
✓ Recognize your privilege. Information is power. There is a reason why oppressive regimes first go for free press when trying to control the nation – it’s in order to control the people’s opinion. Use the freedom to have this information to its full extent and never forget how important it is to stay informed.