Feeling overwhelmed? Try an opinion detox.

Opinions are like junk food. They feel good going down but leave you with indigestion and high blood pressure.

Here’s how an opinion detox works:

For 30 days, don’t consume opinions.

Opinions are judgments formed from sources other than facts or knowledge. Common sources of opinion:

  • Social media posts
  • Comments and replies
  • News opinion pages
  • Podcasts
  • Self-help books
  • Magazines
  • Certain friends and relatives1

Like a detox fad diet, it’s not helpful to cut out everything–that’s why this isn’t an information detox.

The goal isn’t to stop thinking; it’s to chill out and start thinking for yourself.

With that in mind, replace those salty, processed, high-fructose opinions with clean, whole sources of information:

  • Books
  • Research papers
  • Academic studies
  • Other well-researched content (essays, articles, podcasts, documentaries, etc.—but not too much! When in doubt, cut it out.)

“But wait, what should I do with my own opinions?”

You’re free to share your opinions, but there’s a problem: people will want to reciprocate. So here’s a better approach: use a notepad. Any notepad will do. Write down your passing thoughts, and let them go.

Once your thoughts have had time to cool, you can shape them into something permanent. Wait to share them until your detox is over.

If you consume too many opinions, try an opinion detox.

  1. If someone immediately comes to mind, they probably qualify. ↩