September 11, 2026 — No News Day: How to Take a Break from the Information Clutter
Every year on September 11, people celebrate the unofficial “No News Is Good News” Day—an opportunity to put down your phone, close your news feeds, and give your mind a break, even if just for a little while. The idea behind this day is simple: we aren’t obligated to keep track of every event in the world every minute, and a brief break from the news can help refocus our attention and reduce stress. At the same time, Ukraine shouldn’t completely cut itself off from important information, since the news can be directly related to national security.
“No News Is Good News Day” is observed annually on September 11. In English, it is called “No News Is Good News Day” and is considered an unofficial observance. In event calendars, it is primarily associated with the United States, although other countries are now writing about this idea as well. In 2026, September 11 falls on a Friday. It is not a national holiday nor an official international day established by the UN. There are no mandatory ceremonies, festive events, or set protocols associated with it. Essentially, it’s a lighthearted and somewhat ironic opportunity to remind people of the need to take a break from the information noise every now and then. That’s why the main “tradition” of this day is very simple—read less news and focus more on your own life.
The idea is particularly relevant now, when news literally comes to people on its own. Phones display notifications, social media feeds push new posts, messaging apps constantly refresh, and videos and messages can arrive around the clock. Even when a person isn’t actively looking for anything, information still finds them. “No News Is Good News” Day encourages us to break this cycle, at least for a short while.
Where Did This Day Come From?
The exact origin of this themed day remains unknown. There is no reliable historical data on a specific person or organization that officially launched “No News Is Good News Day.” Reference calendars simply list it as an annual event on September 11. Some sources suggest that it emerged in the United States in the late 20th or early 21st century against the backdrop of the rapid development of 24-hour news and digital media.
There is also a theory that the date may be linked to the events of September 11, 2001. However, there is no evidence to confirm this origin. Researchers of calendar holidays note that this theory seems plausible due to the coincidence of the date, but a direct link has not been established. Therefore, it is more accurate to say that this is merely a hypothesis, not a proven fact.
There is another reason why September 11 attracts attention. In the U.S., this day is associated with commemorating those who died in the 2001 terrorist attacks, so the idea of a “day without news” on this date seems particularly controversial. For some, it may serve as a reminder of the need to occasionally disconnect from the flow of information. For others, on the contrary, September 11 is a day when completely shutting out information about world events would be entirely inappropriate. Therefore, this day should not be taken as a call to literally “know nothing.” Its main idea is much simpler—to control one’s own consumption of information, rather than letting the news feed dictate one’s attention throughout the day.
The History of the Phrase “No News Is Good News”
The phrase itself is much older than the modern-day observance. Its history can be traced back at least to the 17th century. In 1616, King James I of England wrote down a thought similar to the modern saying: “No newis is bettir than evill newis,” meaning “no news is better than bad news.” A few decades later, a version of the saying very close to the modern one appeared. In 1640, the English writer James Howell used the Italian phrase “Nulla nuova, buona nuova” in his “Letters to a Friend,” which can be translated as “no news is good news.” It is this reference that is often cited as one of the earliest written records of the modern form of the saying in English.
Interestingly, the idea itself may have existed even earlier. Similar expressions have been found in various languages and cultures, since the logic here is very simple: if nothing bad is reported about a person or a situation, perhaps everything is going well. In an era when letters could take weeks or months to arrive, the absence of alarming news could indeed be a cause for relief. In other words, the saying originally had nothing to do with information dependency but rather with waiting for news from people who were far away. Over time, the expression began to be used more broadly. People started using it to talk about work, politics, personal matters, health, travel, and any situation where the absence of news means that nothing bad has happened. Today, the phrase is interpreted even more broadly—as a kind of call not to look for problems where there aren’t any.
Why People Are Tired of the News Today
In the past, people received news a few times a day or even once every few days. You had to buy a newspaper, listen to the radio, watch TV, or wait for a letter. Now the situation is completely different. News can appear every minute, and your phone can display a notification about an event that happened just a few seconds ago.
Added to this is the competition among media outlets for readers’ attention. Headlines need to grab attention, so conflicts, accidents, disasters, scandals, and other dramatic events often stand out the most. There is good news, too, but it doesn’t always elicit the same immediate reaction. As a result, people may get the impression that the whole world consists solely of problems.
Social media amplifies this effect. A person reads one article, then moves on to another, watches a video, opens the comments, receives a new notification—and the cycle starts all over again. Even if a person is already tired, the endless feed keeps pushing them to keep scrolling. Because of this, a regular break easily turns into a few more hours of consuming information. This is where the idea of a “news-free day” comes in. You don’t have to completely cut yourself off from information for 24 hours. Sometimes it’s enough to simply stop checking your feed every ten minutes, turn off unnecessary notifications, or leave your phone in another room for a few hours.
Why Take an Information Break?
An information break helps you regain a sense of control over your own attention. When a person constantly checks for new notifications, their attention constantly shifts from one stimulus to another. Even if each individual piece of news takes only a few seconds, dozens of such shifts throughout the day can be extremely draining. Stepping away from the news for a while allows you to focus on things happening right around you. You can have a real conversation with loved ones, go for a walk, cook a meal, read a book, or simply sit in silence. This doesn’t mean the world’s problems have disappeared. It just means you stop constantly dwelling on them for a while.
Another benefit is the ability to distinguish truly important information from ordinary information noise. Not every news story requires an immediate reaction. Not every post needs to be read, commented on, or forwarded to friends. Sometimes the best response is to close the page and come back to it later, when you have more energy and time. “No News Is Good News” Day can therefore be seen as a small experiment. Try not to open your news feed for at least a few hours and see how your well-being and mood change. For some, this will be enough to realize just how much time constantly following the news takes up.
How to Observe This Day
There’s no single way to celebrate. This isn’t a day when you have to go somewhere or participate in a mass event. On the contrary, the idea is to make the day a little calmer. The simplest option is to give yourself a few hours without news. You can turn off push notifications from news apps, avoid visiting news websites, and temporarily remove social media apps from your home screen. If it’s hard to put your phone away completely, you can at least set a specific time to check for important updates.
Another option is to replace the news feed with something enjoyable. For example, read a book, watch a movie, listen to music, or do something creative. You can cook dinner with friends or family, go for a walk, or simply spend the evening without constantly staring at a screen. For some, a day spent outdoors is a great idea. A walk in the park, a trip out of town, or even just an hour-long stroll around the neighborhood can help shift your focus from the screen to the world around you. You don’t need to come up with a complicated plan. The point is precisely not to turn even your downtime into yet another to-do list.
You can also do a little digital decluttering. Delete unnecessary channels, unfollow pages that constantly annoy or scare you, and keep only the sources you really need. This isn’t just a one-day effort—it’s a habit that can last a long time.
Should you give up on the news entirely?
It’s important not to go overboard here. “No News Is Good News” Day doesn’t mean you have to completely cut yourself off from reality. Information can be useful—and sometimes vital. This is especially true for people living in a country at war.
In Ukraine, news reports may include warnings about airstrikes, changes in public transportation, the status of critical infrastructure, shelling, evacuations, or other safety-critical updates. Therefore, it’s not advisable to completely shut off all communication channels just for the sake of such a themed day. Instead, you can stop endlessly scrolling through comments, rumors, and repeats of the same information.
The best approach is not to ignore important information, but to filter it. For example, keep notifications from official sources and services, but turn off everything else. Check the news a few times a day, rather than every few minutes. Don’t open suspicious messages just because of a sensational headline. In times of war, media literacy is no less important than taking a break from the news. People need to know where to find verified information, how to check a source, and why they shouldn’t immediately forward unverified messages. That’s why a “day without news” for Ukrainians might take a slightly different form—a day without unnecessary information noise.
What You Can Do on September 11
You can start with something very simple—figuring out what information you really need. If you regularly open ten channels, twenty pages, and several news sites, try sticking to just the main sources. You can check the rest less often or remove them altogether. It’s also helpful to turn off unnecessary notifications. Not every news item is urgent enough to warrant your phone alerting you right in the middle of work, dinner, or downtime. When there are fewer notifications, you decide for yourself when you need information, rather than reacting to every alert.
You can set aside specific times for checking the news. For example, check important updates in the morning and evening, and focus on work or personal matters during the day. If there are dangerous situations or air raid alerts, of course, the rules change—you need to receive safety alerts regardless of your “news-free” schedule. Another simple idea is to replace your evening news feed with something unrelated to the news. A book, a TV series, music, a board game, drawing, sports, or a conversation with loved ones. Even a few hours without negative headlines can feel completely different.
Interesting Facts About “No News Is Good News” Day
This is not an official public holiday. The day exists as an informal calendar event listed in American and international calendars of themed dates.
The phrase itself is much older than the day. Its history can be traced back to the early 17th century. In 1616, James I wrote that the absence of news is better than bad news.
The modern form of the phrase has Italian roots. In 1640, James Howell cited the expression “Nulla nuova, buona nuova”—“no news is good news.”
The exact origin of this themed day is unknown. There is no reliable information about a specific founder or an official document establishing it.
A connection to September 11, 2001, has not been proven. Some sources suggest that the choice of date may be linked to the terrorist attacks in the U.S., but there is no documentary evidence to support this. Therefore, this theory should be viewed as merely a hypothesis.
The day does not call on people to remain uninformed forever. Rather, the idea is to take a break, reduce the amount of unnecessary information, and decide for oneself when and what information to consume.
Why This Idea Is Relevant Right Now
Just a few decades ago, it was much easier for people to remain unaware of events on the other side of the world. Today, all it takes is a smartphone to find out in a matter of minutes about an accident in another country, a political scandal, a natural disaster, or a new conflict. We receive a huge amount of information, though by no means all of it pertains to our own lives. On top of that, the news never stops. Even after someone has read everything important, new stories appear within ten minutes. This can create the feeling that you need to be online constantly, or else you might miss something. In reality, the world doesn’t stop if you don’t refresh your feed for a few hours.
This is exactly what “No News Is Good News Day” reminds us of. Sometimes the best news is the kind that doesn’t make us worry. And sometimes the best decision is simply to close the news app and get back to real life. At the same time, it’s important for Ukrainians to find a balance. A lack of news shouldn’t mean a loss of vigilance. It’s important to stay connected to official sources and keep an eye on reports that could affect safety. But there’s a big difference between important news and endlessly scrolling through the feed.
September 11 can serve as an opportunity to take a closer look at your own media habits. Turn off unnecessary notifications, put your phone away, spend a few hours without the news, and remember that life consists of more than just headlines, alarming reports, and endless updates. Because sometimes the best news is that nothing bad has happened.
