How to Become a News Junkie

We are supposed to live, breathe, eat, and sleep the news.  This can be tricky when you have a 9-5 workday, classes, or internships to balance and during your free time you probably don't want to crack open a newspaper or flip away from the Food Network.

The top reasons I've heard that people don't read the news are widespread:
"It's depressing."
"I don't have time."
"I don't see the point."

The fact is, as public relations professionals, we have to stay on top of the news.  We need to know what's going on in the world and how it could potentially affect our clients and ourselves.  That's the point.  We have to make time for the news, depressing or not.

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.  So challenge yourself to read the newspaper each day for 21 days.  If you don't want to pay for a subscription you can always go online and browse around the hundreds of free articles on sites like www.philly.com.  Instead of spending endless minutes browsing Facebook and Twitter, spend it reading up on what's going on around you.

Being a news junkie certainly has its benefits:

• You'll have tons of current event conversation starters
• You'll gain knowledge and inspiration from stories you read
• You'll impress your coworkers, bosses, and clients with your news knowledge

How often do you read the news? Is it as crucial as everyone says? Tell us your thoughts!