We're all guilty of doing it: You get into bed and convince yourself to check your phone one more time and sleep.
But you see that COVID-19 infections are up. The economy is crashing down. People are losing jobs. Still, you scroll through bottomless doom-and-gloom news for hours as you sink into a pool of despair.
This self-destructive behavior has become so common these days; it has earned its own term: "doomscrolling." But you deserve joy, so we're going to dismantle automation and intervene right now. Here's how to break the cycle:
Clean up
Digital hoarding has been shown to trigger high levels of anxiety and stress. And don't think you can do it in the name of multitasking -- it's just making you less effective and productive.
Some apps you haven't touched in a week ought to be deleted, or move them in a folder, so they don't take up your screen. Or try to live the "one app at a time" life. Both steps can help eliminate the mindless toggling, so many of us fall prey to.
Get rid of content that triggers you
Don't feed what irks you. If you already know the type of content that stresses you get rid of it. Or curate content in a way that the weird stuff is sandwiched in the good stuff.
According to Dr. Amy Franzini of Widener University, following positive content helps a lot: "We don't need to immerse ourselves in it 24/7. Follow positive social media sites such as Some Good News and Positively Positive to balance [your feed]."
If you want to curate your endless scroll, first turn off all targeted ads on all your social media accounts. Read the news at your own pace -- no push notifications from news sources. And if there are people who tend to be too negative online, hide or mute them.
If you're finding it hard to curate content in your current social media accounts, then, by all means, make a new one. This should make things easier. And make it a habit to follow sources of positive content. Something that inspires you instead of sparking guilt.
Log off once you're done
Make it a habit to stop scrolling once you've fulfilled your intentions. Binging on the internet accounts for problematic internet usage, which can take a toll on your mental health.
We're not saying you can't indulge in the wonders of the internet forever -- you can do that from time to time. These tips are merely a reminder that your time should be budgeted online and not wasted. Self-discipline is key.
