How to Defeat Doom-scrolling and Other Digital Distractions

On a recent warm weekend afternoon, I found myself infinitely scrolling through my social media feeds.

From Facebook to LinkedIn to Instagram, TikTok and Twitter — I was mindlessly thumbing, swiping, double-tapping, and typing ad infinitum through videos, images and status updates.

After what seemed like an eternity, I caught myself doing so.

I forced myself to put the smartphone down and realised — OMG — that an hour has already passed!

I went to the window, took a deep breath and looked out of the house for a couple of minutes. My eyes felt strained, and my mind was all over the place.

Rather than continue to surf the mobile web in a mindless, aimless and thoughtless manner, I decided there and then to go for a walk.

I felt infinitely better after that brief repose — away from my ever glowing, ever enticing, and ever present screens.

Like me, many of you are guilty of devoting a prodigious amount of unproductive time on social media and the mobile web.

Also known as the digital drift — or zombie scrolling — what was supposed to be a couple of minutes of leisure becomes hours of thumbs up, thumbs down, swipes and taps. One thing leads to another. Before you know it, minutes turn to hours, hours turn to days, and days turn to weeks, months and years.

What was supposedly meant to be an activity of leisure has turned into a digital addiction — an interminable intermission that leaves you feeling worse for the wear.

To prevent yourself from falling prey to the social media "slot machines," you need to have a systematic process to destroy digital dilly dallying. A sort of reset if you may, where you intentionally put in place certain measures to insulate yourself from becoming a mindless mobile-swiping machine.

Start by becoming more conscious of what you're doing at the present moment. Focus on what's happening right here, right now, right at this exact place and space where you're at.

Learn to tune in to your "inner voice" by embracing mindfulness — allow the random thoughts, feelings, and sensations to pass through you, but do not act on them. Be a passive observer of what's going through your mind, and just let those emotions be.

Have a schedule where you take regular breaks away from your devices. The best way to do so is to have an exercise regime — runs, walks, yoga, Zumba, calisthenics or any other physical activity where you can plug into the real physical world.

If possible, try to avoid carrying your device with you. I've started going for runs and walks without my mobile phone for over a year, and found the experience so much more refreshing and rejuvenating. This also means that you do not need to track or clock your miles, steps, or calories burned.

For those with an artistic bone in their body, consider creating or building something physical. Paint, draw, sketch, or mold a work of art. Do a handicraft that requires you to concentrate on using your hands, your heart, and your mind.

Wherever you can, spend time with your friends, family members, and other loved ones in physical interactions. (Yeah, I know that may be difficult in these Covid-19 times, but perhaps just with one other person?)

Engage in real conversations, go for a walk or run together, or do something physical like cook a meal.

As a social media marketer, I spent inordinate amounts of time online. While I'd like to think that I'm learning what works and what doesn't on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and TikTok, the honest truth is that much of my time is wasted in frivolity.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you have a favourite remedy to cure yourself from spending too much leisure time online?

Walter is the founder and editor of Cooler Insights — a critically thinking content marketing, social media marketing and brand storytelling agency. Fuel your business with the latest insights in digital and content marketing, public relations and personal branding.