How to Stop Being a Tabloid Junkie

Do you rush to get the latest issue of The National Enquirer as soon as it hits the new stands? Can you not resist flipping through and ultimately purchasing the latest copy of People or Us magazine? If so, you may be a tabloid junkie. Although being a tabloid junkie can provide you with a source of easy entertainment, it can also be an enormous time waster if carried to the extreme. If you're spending too much time reading about Britney and Angelina, here's how to stop reading tabloids and regain your lost time

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Replace the tabloids with the New York Times.
   
   Imagine how much more of an interesting conversationalist you'd be if you educated yourself by reading the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal rather than People magazine and other tabloid news. You'd be able to keep abreast of trends that affect YOUR life as opposed to the forces that affect the lives of Brad and Angelina. You'd also be able to chime in with some intelligent insights during the next political discussion at a party.
2. Realize the celebrities don't know or care about you.
   
   It's a simple fact that the celebrities who occupy your precious time don't know you or even care about you. They have their own lives and problems just like you and would prefer to concentrate on them. They probably get tired of all the scrutiny and adulation themselves. Do you really want to center your life around people who don't even know you exist?
3. Ask yourself why you're obsessed with celebrities.
   
   Many people fixate on tabloid news because something is missing from their own experience. Is there some unmet need that's not being fulfilled in your day to day life? Spend some of the time you would normally use to read celebrity magazines writing in a journal. This is a great way to achieve deeper insight into what motivates you and it can help wean you off of celebrity gossip.
4. Substitute a more worthwhile activity.
   
   Start by keeping a record of how much time you spend reading and gossiping about celebrities. After you have a week's worth of data, add up the total hours you're spending on this activity and ask yourself what meaningful activity you could substitute for reading the tabloid news. Could you volunteer at a local shelter? Take a class? Both of these options will help to broaden your perspective and become less of a tabloid junkie.