How to beat your bad scrolling habit!

Mindless Consumers

Every-time I find myself mindlessly scrolling on Instagram or Facebook, or scrolling through Amazon or any other shopping app,  it makes me feel like a mindless consumer, and actually leaves me feeling pretty empty. There were days I would just consume, consume, consume, until it made my eyes hurt! (Gotta get me those blue light filter glasses!)

From Consumerism to Contribution & Connection

It’s habit forming, it’s addicting, and just overall makes me feel like I’ve wasted time. I’ve been thinking about how if I were to switch my consumerism behavior to that of contribution and connection how much happier and fulfilled it would feel. Instead of mindlessly scrolling, maybe what I am actually needing is some form of connection, I can text a friend and see how they are doing? Journal about how life is going. Maybe reflect back on the past. Maybe It’s finally doing something new, like a hobby.

Or if you have the urge to buy something because you see it somewhere online or somewhere at a store, maybe it’s time to get in touch with what you already have in your home. Rummage through all your closets and drawers and get reacquainted with all your stuff. Doing that always helps me reassess whether I need something “new” or not. 

So this “Contribution & Connection OVER Consumerism” phrase is something I do to help me stay grounded and remind myself that I never feel good after mindlessly scrolling or thinking that I am lacking something in my home. 

That’s part of why I started blogging – to simply contribute my thoughts to the sea of content that is out there. 

And I really don’t care if anyone will ever read this, but it’s a stepping stone for me in the direction I want to head. Instead of consuming everyone else’s content, or falling for the latest trends, I am choosing to contribute my thoughts, and take stock of what I already have. I find it so much more rewarding and healthy for my mind to stay sharp. 

Not to mention there is a ton of research showing that humans are very much innately wired to help others. It’s an instinct that many of us feel strongly. Helping in any way can be such a positive thing to your health and overall happiness. It makes you feel like you have a purpose. 

I think the more we scroll mindlessly the more our brain rots and the more desensitized we become to the obvious fact that you need real life connection in order to thrive. You need time to actually think, write out your thoughts, to grow yourself and your understanding of the world, and the own world you’ve created for yourself. If during the only down time that you have throughout the day, you reach for your phone and fill it with other people’s lives and junk, when are you spending time with yourself and your own thoughts? 

After I left my business to spend time with my kids, I found myself with these moments during the day to myself. Maybe 5 minutes here, or a few hours when both kids happen to be napping at the same time, and for awhile I would just reach for me phone and research a topic I’ve been thinking about, or scroll mindlessly through funny reels. One day after scrolling for 10 minutes straight, i looked up from my phone, my eyes hurting, and just felt so ridiculous having wasted that time. Thats when the phrase “contribution & connection OVER consumerism” really convicted me and came to my mind like a lightening bolt. Ever since then, anytime I find myself with the urge to scroll or consume, I first think of that phrase and reflect on how the day has been going, I think about my family, my friends, who I haven’t spoken to in awhile, and what topics I’d like to write about. And let me tell you, I find myself feeling so much more grounded and fulfilled through out the day. 

That’s not to say I never scroll through Facebook or Instagram, or watch a show, or do online shopping. BUT I am getting into the habit of doing that with more intentionality and being mindful of how long I am doing it for, and WHY I am doing what I am doing. 

It’s been a real game changer for me in how I operate day to day. Hope it helps you too!!

I found this article to be helpful about why “doomscrolling” can have such a negative impact on your brain: https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2024/07/doomscrolling-breaking-the-habit