Expert Advice For Avoiding Doomscrolling At Work

Forbes

a day ago

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Doomscrolling is not only bad for your mental health, it could also hurt your career.
After an intense weekend with protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids, tensions are continuing to rise during the workweek, with President Trump deploying the National Guard and about 700 active-duty Marines to the streets of California. (The Forbes newsroom is covering the latest developments here.)
It's not the first time that political tensions have bled into protests and led to potential disruptions at work. For many, it can feel dystopian trying to balance day-to-day work while reading the news and seeing images of violence across the country.
So what can you do while you're on the clock during these times? And what can employers do to support their workers?
For one, ease up on the doomscrolling. Consuming negative or emotionally triggering news on social media can have real impacts on your productivity, mental health and even potential career prospects. Forbes contributor Chris Westfall recommends creating digital boundaries by setting online time limits, and contributor Jess Cording favors physical and mental grounding techniques.
For managers and employers, supporting colleagues is all about setting the tone, writes contributor Tracy Lawrence, especially when employees' minds are distracted by problems facing the world outside the company's office walls. She recommends that leaders model adequate vulnerability while maintaining clear direction. 'You don't need to have all the answers, but you need to demonstrate confident, steady leadership,' Lawrence writes.
All this is to say: It's normal to log into work feeling conflicted this week. Take a moment to advocate for yourself, catch up on this week's news beyond the protests and then get back to work.
Practical insights and advice from Forbes staff and contributors to help you succeed in your job, accelerate your career and lead smarter.
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In a move many saw coming, billionaires Elon Musk and President Donald Trump appeared to call quits on their professional relationship last week amid tension over the president's 'Big Beautiful Bill' outlining the budget for next year. Most of us don't have public relationships with our bosses, but we're breaking down what you can take away from this high-profile feud.
The contentious professional relationship between billionaire Elon Musk and President Donald Trump has seemingly come to an end.
Musk officially stepped down from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the end of May, ending a months-long partnership between the founder of Tesla and the president. The two had become close after Musk endorsed Trump's presidential campaign last July, with Musk serving as a close advisor to the president during his first few months in office.
The big falling out came last week, when Musk went on a days-long rant against Trump's signature 'Big Beautiful Bill.' In a number of posts on X, Musk criticized Trump's policy and even claimed he was implicated in the Epstein files. That post has now been deleted.
While President Trump downplayed the falling out to the media, he turned to Truth Social to say that the easiest way to save money in his policy bill would be to eliminate Musk's government contracts and subsidies, later adding that he asked Musk to leave the White House.
Needless to say, both took the end of their working relationship too public—and too far— though tensions appeared to ease over the weekend.
Disagreeing with your boss is not uncommon, but there are ways to make your criticism stick without involving others—in this case, the American public.
One tip is to be passionate, not emotional, writes Forbes' senior contributor Caroline Castrillon. 'Don't get overly emotional to the point that you become frazzled and lose focus,' she adds. 'Your manager will lose sight of the point you're trying to make.' And don't forget about acknowledging and respecting each other, writes senior contributor Tracy Brower. Leaders must create a culture where employees can express their opinions to ease conflict at work.
Ultimately, it's often best to stay out of office drama. Getting involved can not only be damaging to your mental health, but your professional career, even if you are a billionaire. Both Musk and Trump are now seeing the ramifications of their public feud.
Musk's Tesla is suffering: Its stock was downgraded by analysts on Monday and the company has lost the support from pensions holding its shares. Meanwhile, a number of House Republicans who voted in favor of Trump's bill have now flipped their support due to his fight with Musk.
News from the world of work.
The Labor Department's May jobs report signaled some tepid optimism, as the U.S. added 139,000 nonfarm jobs, topping analysts' estimates of 125,000. Unemployment held steady at 4.2% for a third consecutive month as the government revised job growth down for March and April. But private employment saw the weakest monthly growth in the last two years, according to payroll processor ADP.
Small businesses have also hit a pause on hiring, largely due to tariff confusion. But an influx of DOGE-cut talent is also increasing the quality of applicants in the pool, reports Brandon Kochkodin.
Visa appointments on hold are impacting more than just international undergrads: Foreign-educated doctors who matched into American residency programs could miss their July 1 start date due to delayed or canceled meetings. That leaves both patients and hospitals in the lurch, since interns provide hands-on medical care under the supervision of more experienced doctors, reports Forbes' Emma Whitford.
Is agentic AI a tool or a coworker? Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang seems to think more human, telling audiences at London Tech Week that the best way to use AI for coding aid is to 'ask it nicely.' 'This new programming language is called 'human,'' he added.
Jobs Corps contractors are suing the Trump Administration over the closure of the largest U.S. job training program for low-income youth. A trade group representing the contractors that operate the training centers and some of its members allege the Labor Department is violating federal law by abruptly shutting down the program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbSVE3T9XA0
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In the face of a tough job market, what are job seekers willing to do in order to work for a company that is better aligned with their values or that provides more opportunities for career advancement?
A. Take a pay cut
B. Go into the office five days a week
C. Switch industries
D. None of the above
Check if you got it right here.