Habit Library
Learn more about healthy habits, habit building and how Munay can help you stay healthy.
Content Curation
Munay
Content Curation
Explore how choosing positive, inspiring content can improve your mood, boost motivation, and support personal growth. Learn how to build this healthy media habit with the help of Munay.
Why it matters
In today’s digital age, we are constantly bombarded with information. From social media updates to endless news articles, it can feel overwhelming to keep up with everything. One healthy media habit that helps manage this influx of information is content curation. By purposefully selecting and organizing the content you consume, you can reduce stress, stay informed, and improve your mental well-being.
Instead of endlessly scrolling through social media or stumbling upon irrelevant news stories, content curation empowers you to choose what you want to read, watch, and listen to. It’s about being intentional with your time and mental energy. This habit can lead to improved productivity, greater focus, and more satisfaction with your media consumption.
What is content curation?
Content curation means choosing and organising the media you follow or consume so it supports your well-being. It’s about following accounts that make you feel inspired, informed, or happy—and unfollowing ones that make you feel bad or stressed.
Science behind it
Research suggests that people can process only a limited amount of information at once. When we consume too much unfiltered content, our brains become overloaded, leading to cognitive fatigue. This, in turn, can reduce productivity, increase stress, and hinder the ability to concentrate. By curating your content, you avoid unnecessary cognitive overload, which improves focus and mental clarity.
Moreover, research suggests that we naturally gravitate toward content that aligns with our pre-existing beliefs and preferences. While this can lead to information silos, it also enables more focused learning and personal growth when we curate content that enriches our understanding and encourages reflection.
Benefits for your health
With the abundance of information available online, content curation has become an essential habit for staying informed without feeling overwhelmed.
By intentionally choosing what you consume, you can stay focused on content that aligns with your personal or professional goals, reducing distractions and maintaining clarity.
Curating content also helps minimize mental clutter by filtering out irrelevant or unhelpful information, saving time and energy.
In addition, limiting exposure to negative or sensationalized media can support better mental health by lowering stress and promoting a more balanced perspective.
How to build this habit
Here are some practical steps to help you build the habit of content curation:
- Identify Your Interests and Goals: Consider what topics matter most to you. Whether it’s professional development, personal hobbies, or staying up to date on the news, having a clear sense of what you want to learn or engage with will help you curate more effectively.
- Use Curated Platforms: Digital platforms allow you to aggregate content from multiple sources. By subscribing to specific feeds, you can automatically receive content tailored to your interests.
- Set Time Limits for Content Consumption: Avoid the endless scroll by setting daily or weekly time limits for content consumption. This helps prevent mindless browsing and encourages more intentional content curation.
- Engage with Quality Sources: Focus on high-quality, reputable sources that align with your values. By following trusted authors, organizations, or media outlets, you can avoid misinformation and engage with content that adds value to your life.
- Regularly Review Your Curated Content: Periodically review your curated content to ensure it still aligns with your current goals and interests. Remove sources that no longer serve you and add new ones that align with your evolving needs.
Conclusion
Content curation is a powerful habit that helps you manage information overload, focus on what matters most, and improve your mental well-being. By intentionally selecting and organizing the content you consume, you can reduce stress, boost productivity, and stay informed.
Build this habit
Start building the habit of content curation with Munay, your intelligent habit companion. Go to Get Munay to download the app or visit Munay App to learn more about it.
Sources
- Alimoradi, Z., Jafari, E., Potenza, M. N., Lin, C. Y., Wu, C. Y., & Pakpour, A. H. (2022). Binge-watching and mental health problems: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9707. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159707
- Braghieri, L., Levy, R. E., & Makarin, A. (2022). Social media and mental health. American Economic Review, 112(11), 3660-3693. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.20211218
- Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9, 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005
- Kühn, S., & Gallinat, J. (2014). Brain structure and functional connectivity associated with pornography consumption: the brain on porn. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(7), 827-834. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.93
- Lim, M. S., Carrotte, E. R., & Hellard, M. E. (2016). The impact of pornography on gender-based violence, sexual health and well-being: what do we know?. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 70(1), 3-5. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2015-205453
- Naslund, J. A., Bondre, A., Torous, J., & Aschbrenner, K. A. (2020). Social media and mental health: benefits, risks, and opportunities for research and practice. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science, 5(3), 245-257. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-020-00134-x
- Pizzol, D., Bertoldo, A., & Foresta, C. (2016). Adolescents and web porn: A new era of sexuality. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health, 28(2), 169-173. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2015-0003
- Rocha, Y. M., De Moura, G. A., Desidério, G. A., De Oliveira, C. H., Lourenço, F. D., & de Figueiredo Nicolete, L. D. (2021). The impact of fake news on social media and its influence on health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Journal of Public Health, 1-10.
- Sadagheyani, H. E., & Tatari, F. (2021). Investigating the role of social media on mental health. Mental Health and Social Inclusion, 25(1), 41-51. https://doi.org/10.1108/mhsi-06-2020-0039
- Starosta, J. A., & Izydorczyk, B. (2020). Understanding the phenomenon of binge-watching—a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(12), 4469. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124469