Tony Lin couldn’t stop hitting refresh on his phone. The Quartz video journalist needed updates on COVID-19, which Lin started reporting on in December when it began spreading through China.
After the first couple of days of absorbing nonstop information, he couldn’t sleep. “It just came to me,” Lin said Monday in an interview with the Institute. “It’s not sustainable.”
“Checking our phone is something to do to make us feel like we are in control,” he said. “That’s actually somewhat addictive – to keep absorbing more trauma.”
- Find something to make you happy at home. For Lin, it’s music and cooking.
- Practice social distancing.
- Don’t let fear get the best of you.
- It’s OK to put down your phone.
Taking a break from the news cycle is not selfish, Lin says. “It’s a necessity to keep us alive, to allow us to keep reporting on this issue. Otherwise, we are going to get desensitized.”