From the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep we consume. On our smartphones, our laptops, even our watches—almost mindlessly right? It’s become such a large part of our lives, media consumption that is, that we never take a moment to consider what is it that you’re consuming—what is it that you’re putting into your mind? What information are you letting occupy space in your brain?

Black Girl Magic: Black Girls Code — Black Girl Magic: Black Girls Code

We consume loads and loads of media in a day. In fact, it is estimated that Americans consume both traditional and digital media for over 1.7 trillion hours. 15 1/2 hours per day we spend consuming. Okay let’s do some math. 15/24= .625. That is 62.5% of the day is spent just watching, reading, and listening to information. So that leaves only 9 hours of your day to spend time with your own thoughts and create your own information.

What is your media diet? Is it straight 4 for 4 Wendy’s meals or are you taking weekly trips to Trader Joe’s so you can meal plan? Do you spend your days watching trash reality TV or do you watch documentaries and vibe out to Erykah Badu? Can we be real though? Reality tv is great. I love the confessionals and the island vacations and the surprise pregnancy scares but it’s always beneficial to take a step back and see what it is that you're putting into your body—see what information it is that you're feeding yourself and see what's coming out. If all you feed your body is Love and Hip-Hop and the Real Housewives of whatever city you can't expect to get out any Grade A content. Recognize the same way in which your body reacts to trash food your mind reacts to trash reality TV. And trust when I say while I love a good K Michelle shaking the table moment and a good Cardi B laugh, I do, but I recognize the importance of consuming things that are going to not only entertain you but challenge you and enrich your mind.

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism released their annual digital news report in which they divulge the seven key trends in digital consumption. One of which is that everyone loves to comment. Over 25% of readers comment on either new stories themselves or the social media posts that share them. Which is to say that similar to the point that the USC Marshall School of Business made the way we consume media has become extremely interactive. We are willing to comment and review and write think pieces but we don't take the time to figure out if what we're consuming is adding any value to our lives. The key is balance. You need to watch the trash reality TV but you also need to listen to SYWBAA. Maybe you need to watch like mindless QVC television but you need to watch the documentary on Nina Simone. You need to spend hours and hours getting lost in the black hole of YouTube but you need to also listen to the For Colored Nerds podcast and learn and become a better person. Get outside of yourself. Media consumption has become a per diem activity that we can’t seem to escape from.. Much like the food we eat, we need to be conscious of the amount of fast media we consume. We need to be cognizant of all of the weird forums we get on trashing YouTubers or falling into the comment section of the Shade Room and fighting with Team Breezy about whether him and Karrueche need to get back together. Start eating broccoli again. Start watching things that matter. Start making things that matter. Start analyzing and figuring out whether or not something is enriching your life because what is the point of it all if not to add value? If you're just going to put trash in your body anyways might as well be OK with spitting out trash right?

Okay we get it, we gotta start taking care of our minds the way we do our bodies but what do we consume? We need some new recipes? Help us meal plan. I got you. We here at Brainwash have compiled a list of that good good with links and allat. Be blessed beloveds.