Due to the rapid availability and constant updating of news, we often feel obligated to always be up to date and continuously informed about current developments. This is an understandable strategy to regain control when feeling helpless. But overconsumption is never the best way to deal with things. And unfortunately, this can lead to a situation where we are less able to concentrate on other important activities and feel increasingly burdened instead of being helped by this. This happens especially when we have little influence on the situation being addressed and cannot use the stressful information productively in our daily lives. If you find that your news consumption is not doing you any good, allow yourself to consciously shape it and also limit it. In addition, you can consider the following:

• For example, schedule yourself fixed times for pre-selected media and avoid ^{doomscrolling1} on news platforms or social media. Deactivate push messages on your smartphone. Daily updated and well-filtered news is quite sufficient to be informed.
• If you are consciously researching a topic, make sure to stay on that topic and also stick to the scheduled time for it. Especially on the Internet, it is easy to become overly preoccupied with topics or end up with emotionally strongly colored, subjective reports.
• Be aware of the emotions triggered by information in a mindful and non-judgmental way, try to endure them for a moment and thereby decelerate an impulsive reaction.
• Do a reality check: To what extent am I affected by the news or events? What does it mean to me? How does it benefit me?

For more tips on how to handle a large number of messages in a way that conserves resources, click here: Info Series Part 3

In situations in which you are worried about others or brooding over the problems in the world, it is often difficult to look at yourself and your own needs. Nevertheless, allow yourself to distance yourself from current events and plan activities that are good for you, distracting and fun. You need some stability of your own to have energy for helpful action.

So, despite the challenges in your daily life and in the world, keep your own priorities and resources in mind and maintain a balance between work and leisure. Create a "safe space" at home. Let a feel-good atmosphere develop by making at least one corner of the room nice, cozy and tidy. Order in the room also helps to create order in the mind. Set up message-free zones and times. If they find this difficult, see if they can make an arrangement with someone to let them know if a news story that is currently relevant is reported.

Especially in times of uncertainty and insecurity, it is also important for yourself to increase structure, stability and predictability in your daily life and thereby create your own security. It can help if you maintain a fixed daily structure that also includes positive activities, social contacts and exercise. For example, structure your day and week well in advance with a weekly schedule. Determine when you start and end your activities (work, leisure activities, household). This will give your daily routine a secure framework. By structuring your day according to your needs, you keep your mind busy and you avoid "idle time" that would otherwise be filled by excessive news consumption or worrying.

• While you're at it, pay attention to basics like regular nutrition, fresh air and sunlight, adequate exercise and sleep.
• Also, think about what of the things you currently or even previously enjoyed doing (cooking, painting, doing puzzles, exercising, etc.) could you implement now? It doesn't help anyone if they forbid themselves positive moments out of solidarity.
• Keep up social contacts and also exchange ideas with others, for example, about how they are coping with the current situation. Or spend time together in which they consciously do not bring up the stressful topic.
• Be aware that joy and sorrow, good and evil, negative and positive can exist side by side and sharpen your perception for positive moments in difficult times.

A template for a weekly plan can be found here: PDF weekly plan

Even though we probably share similar concerns with many people right now, it is important to find an individual way of dealing with them. Cognitive strategies can be helpful here, such as the reality check, decatastrophizing or cost-benefit analysis. In doing so, it is important to ask ones elf , "How realistic are my thoughts?", "How would I deal with them if the bad scenarios occurred?", "Is it useful or helpful to continue to dwell on these worries? ". Worrying is actually a very functional process because by anticipating possible, future dangers, we can prepare ourselves and feel less helpless as a result. However, if the dangers are still too unpredictable, preoccupation with worry tends to have the opposite effect and we feel more powerless than before. That's why it's important to realize that while it's totally understandable that you're worried about the current situation, and of course you're thinking of coping strategies. However, if you realize that your worries are not leading to a solution and that you cannot do anything at the moment, it is important to accept this and distance yourself from your worries. Allow yourself to take distance from your worries. The worries may be there right now, but you do not have to deal with them around the clock. In the spirit of mindfulness, become aware of what is important to you right now in the here and now.

The following link provides you with worksheets that you can use as a support to identify pessimistic or frightening thoughts and to formulate helpful thoughts: Thoughts and Feelings webpage.

In terms of our emotions, fear, anger, powerlessness and overwhelm probably dominate for most people. It is important to perceive and accept all feelings and to think about coping strategies:

In the case of fear, an individual (sober) danger or coping analysis is worthwhile: Currently, most people in Germany are not in danger and do not have to worry about their lives. Nevertheless, you can use the physical activation by fear, for example, by participating in demonstrations or sharing petitions, to influence world events. Those who feel a justified fear, because their own situation or that of their loved ones is uncertain at the moment, should inform themselves about what possibilities of action there are at the moment and which offices/institutions they can turn to for this. In doing so, you often need to accept fear and frustration, as you may not be able to achieve an improvement so quickly and will keep encountering hurdles. Realize that you are doing everything in your power and do not fall into hectic over-actionism.

Even when you feel angry, helpless and powerless, it helps to become active and creative. Do not let yourself be paralyzed by the feelings, but ask yourself ""What can I do right now?" and let your creativity run free. And above all: don't stay alone with your feelings. Join forces with others, be it in an organization or among friends, and become active together. In order to avoid the overload that can arise from acute problems but also from current world events per se, make sure to set priorities. No one is helped if you get carried away and feel worse than before because of your supportive behavior.

Due to the many negative news in the last weeks and months, just many report a great sadness regarding the current world events, also called "Weltschmerz". Here, too, it is advisable not to be drawn into a quagmire of self-pity and hopelessness and thereby become paralyzed, but to remain active. Taking a different perspective with the help of reframing can help. Instead of thinking "Everything sucks! It's all useless anyway." rather take the attitude, "If everything sucks anyway, then I have many ways to start. No matter what I do, it helps." This attitude opens up a great many opportunities to make a difference. Whether it's paying attention to my carbon footprint, following Corona rules, or getting involved politically.

Breathing and relaxation exercises, when used regularly, can help lower baseline tension, making it easier for us to stay calm in crisis situations. Under the following link you will find instructions for breathing and relaxation exercises: Thoughts and Feelings website.

At the moment, there is overwhelming sympathy and an incredible number of opportunities to participate in offers of support. This is important to get us out of our helplessness and powerlessness. At the same time, the offerings can also overwhelm and overwhelm. Ask yourself "How can I help right now?". Inform yourself about possibilities of support e.g. in your city. No matter which form of support you choose, make sure you consciously decide how much time and energy is available at the moment and which project you would like to support. Reduce the demand on yourself to participate everywhere, but adapt your activity to your resources. In doing so, help in the second row or even support from people who are not directly affected is also important. This also means donating when possible. In this way, you achieve great effect with your commitment, because you thereby increase the scope of action of those with the best knowledge of the current need.

In Dortmund, the Volunteer Agency organizes aid for victims and those affected from Ukraine. On the pages of the agency you will find continuously updated information about which support is particularly needed (e.g. monetary donations, donations in kind, interpreting services).

Website of the Volunteer Agency Dortmund

Donations are accepted by the Society of Friends of the TU Dortmund e.V. under:

IBAN: DE24440400370323444000

BIC: COBADEFFXXX

Bank: Commerzbank AG

Intended purpose: Helping students in the Ukraine crisis