Even in the best of times, constant exposure to news media can make us anxious. When times are challenging, reading the news can feel like standing on the edge of an abyss.

So don't do it. Don't read the paper. Don't watch TV. Don't listen to radio news. Don't read Google News, CNN.com, or MSNBC. Let it go.

The world won't end just because you don't know what's going on. In fact, it can make your little corner of the world less anxious. As business psychologist Frederic Lehrman says, "The more you know, the more you could worry about."

I'm not advocating a complete withdrawal from media for all time. And I don't believe that ignorance is bliss. I'm just saying that you can have more serenity and peace in your life if you stop consuming news media for a while.

Steve Pavlina offers a long list of observations on the news in his post Overcoming News Addiction. The news, he says, is negative, trivial, redundant, shallow, and irrelevant and you can't do anything about it, so why waste your time on it. I agree.

I'm about two weeks into a media fast now, and life is good. I'm still reading books and watching movies and TED Talks. And I can't help but pick up on major news stories as I overhear conversations out in the world. But I'm no longer processing that endless stream of negative chatter that the news media crank out. I am more focused, and I'm thinking more clearly.

So give it a try. Take a day, or a week, or a month off from news media and see how it affects you.

If you must consume media for your job, set up Google alerts or a similar customized information feed to give you only the focused, actionable information that you need.

If you're worried about what you'll replace media time with, here are some ideas:

• read a book
• listen to music
• exercise - walk, run, bike, etc.
• learn something new
• meditate
• explore - get out and walk around a new neighborhood
• pursue crafts and hobbies you've been meaning to take up - knitting, scrapbooking, woodworking, classic-car restoration, etc.
• listen to a friend or family member
• cook for friends

By no means should we ignore the underlying causes of our anxiety. We just need to look at them more clearly, and a media fast can help. Removing the media onslaught from your life can help you focus on what's truly important in your life.