News apps, real-life events, and popular trends have people using a new term: Doom Scrolling.
This became extremely popular in 2020, but not because it’s a good thing. It’s actually quite the opposite. Many people suffer from Doom Scrolling, which can be a serious issue affecting their productivity and daily lives.
But what exactly is Doom Scrolling? And what can you do to prevent it? Keep reading to find out.
What Is Doom Scrolling?
You’ve probably heard of Doom Scrolling before. As you can probably guess by its name, this term refers to spending too much time using your phone. The term gained popularity in 2020, right when TikTok — an app where you do nothing but scroll down — became a massive hit, which is likely why it’s called that.
However, Doom Scrolling can apply to any app. It happens when you spend too much time watching the news, using social media, or visiting your favorite website.
Of course, not every time you do these things means you’re Doom Scrolling. So, when does it go from killing time with your phone to Doom Scrolling? While this might vary from person to person, it’s considered Doom Scrolling when you spend hours looking at your phone without doing anything else, sometimes even avoiding responsibilities.
Another way to know if you’re Doom Scrolling is if it’s become a habit. For instance, if your first instinct after you have a few minutes for yourself is to check social media, and you end up immersed in posts and news for a long time, you’re probably Doom Scrolling.
Why Doom Scrolling Is Bad for You?
The obvious answer to why Doom Scrolling is bad is that too much of any one thing is harmful, no matter what it is. However, Doom Scrolling can also cause mental problems in your daily life.
For starters, Doom Scrolling can affect your productivity. Sometimes, we’d rather stay on our phones than study or work, even when we’re on a tight deadline. If that happens, it will hurt not only your responsibilities but also your bottom line.
Second, Doom Scrolling could lead to sleep problems and insomnia. In a study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic, researchers found that over 70% of participants checked social media before going to bed, which also caused them trouble when going to sleep.
Last but not least, Doom Scrolling could lead to some mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety. This is especially true if you use your Doom Scrolling time to watch the news — which tends to be negative and make you feel even more stressed out.
How to Avoid Doom Scrolling
Doom Scrolling, just like many other things, can become addictive, so you need to recognize that you’re doing it and then try to avoid it. Here are some tips to help you get started.
- Try to Keep Your Phone Away From You
One of the quickest ways to avoid Doom Scrolling is to keep your phone away, especially when you have things to do. You can try putting your phone in another room when you know you have to work or study or just when you know you have used your phone too much already.
It might feel tough at first, but the more you do it, the easier it’ll be.
- Try Something Else
We often reach for our phones when we have nothing else to do, such as on the bus or waiting for an appointment. But what if we had something else to do instead? Try taking something else with you, such as a book to read, a notebook to draw or write in, or even a portable game console.
If you’re at home, you can try working out, cleaning your house, or taking up a different hobby that will distract you from your phone.
- Make Your Phone Uncomfortable to Use
Another way to stop Doom Scrolling is to make it harder to scroll. Many people suggest putting a hair band in the middle of your phone’s screen. That way, you can still do things like answer calls or essential messages, but you won’t be able to scroll through social media as easily.
- Use an App Blocker or Your Screen Time Settings
If you need extra help, you can download an app that limits your access to specific apps in your app store. Or, if you have an iPhone, you can use your Screen Time settings instead.
With Screen Time, you can set an app limit, so you can only use an app or a specific category of apps for a certain amount of time during the day. That way, you can still check the apps you want while having a constant reminder that you should stop for the day.
To use Screen Time’s App Limits, go to Settings > Screen Time > App Limits, tap Add Limit, and choose the apps you want to limit and for how long.
- Delete Addictive Apps From Your iPhone
On the other hand, if you know you can bypass app blockers or Screen Time settings, you’re better off deleting all the apps that encourage you to Doom Scroll.
More specifically, you’ll need to ditch most social media apps and any other app that makes you want to stay on your phone for too long. Don’t worry; you can always download them again once you have some spare time.
- Turn Off Your Notifications
If you get distracted by notifications during the day, the best solution is to disable them altogether. Except for very important messages and calls, you don’t need any app to send you notifications during the day.
On iPhone, you can manage your notifications by going to Settings > Notifications. From there, scroll down and disable the notifications of any app that you find unnecessary. We recommend starting with social media apps but turning off the notifications for any apps that are constantly “forcing” you to Doom Scroll.
- Avoid News Sites and Apps
Besides social media apps, many of us tend to Doom Scroll when looking at the news. While staying informed about your national and international events, it’s also important to know that many news outlets will focus on bad and depressing news. The reason? These types of news tend to give them more clicks and attention.Unfortunately, bad news is stressful and can affect you mentally and emotionally without you realizing it. Not only that, but they might keep you Doom Scrolling for a longer time if you find something that catches your eye. The best thing you can do is to avoid news websites, at least for a little while.
- Remember to Give Yourself Some Time to Enjoy Your Phone
Remember that it’s okay to use your phone. After all, you bought a smartphone because it makes it easy to access countless apps and websites with just a few taps.
Just do it mindfully; don’t just start scrolling away to your heart’s content. Instead, set a specific time during the day to allow yourself to browse through social media or use your favorite apps. During that period, you can go crazy and enjoy your phone as much as possible. But after the timer is done, you must also force yourself to stop using your phone.
Avoid Doom Scrolling
Like many other things that feel good, your phone can be highly addictive if you’re not careful. While you can use your phone for many great things, remember to avoid using it excessively.
The best thing you can do is give yourself some time during the day to use it and try to use it as little as possible the rest of the time. Of course, if your Doom Scrolling addiction is a little too strong, you might be a bit more extreme and delete the apps that are causing you to Doom Scroll or even temporarily replace your smartphone with a dumb phone.
$url_param = $_GET[‘fbclid’];
global $wp;
$curr_url = ‘/’;
?>
