Just when we decide to stay away from our phone for a couple of hours, your phone lights up, and there it is, the Instagram notification you’re dying to open. This happens to most of us definitely more than it should. 

We like it or not, scrolling through social media takes up most of our day. We call ourselves the generation of multitaskers, but the juggling mostly involves twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Instagram again. Our phones are reaping the benefits of being “smart.” Our Instagram pages are refreshed by the minute while our screentime soars high. Travel plans may seem appealing only if we’re visiting social-media worthy locations. The implications of the digital world are all around us, but we don’t want to acknowledge how much it impacts our everyday life. 

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a shift in our feeds. Suddenly, it wasn’t all vacation photos and #ootds; there was dark and dreary news all around. From the virus outbreak, police brutality, economic sufferings, and celebrity deaths, 2020 certainly did not spare anybody. It was hard to look at but harder to look away. Most of us slowly adapted a pattern of mindlessly scrolling through tragedy after tragedy without fully processing it. If you know the feeling, it’s safe to assume that someone was right to slap a label.

Doomscrolling — Dictionary.com lists this one under “Words we created because of Coronavirus.” Doomscrolling means scrolling through the bad news on our timelines for hours on end. It has desensitized a lot of people from the actual headline itself. Eventually, we open an app expecting the worse. The process is a lot like excessive snacking — we are full, but we can’t help but reach for another chip. A lot like the massive stomach ache that follows, doomscrolling has its own set of repercussions.

Staying informed vs. Being overwhelmed 

Often, we’re torn between the choice of being informed and taking a break from social media. It seems as though the world is changing every second, and we need to be prepared. But there is a very thin line between reading news and being overwhelmed by it. We forget that, like everything in life, information must also be consumed in moderation. On social media, people are quick to react and pass their opinion. But in a lot of cases, keeping track of this outrage can begin to affect us. Between triggering news and minute-by-minute updates, it’s not easy staying neutral. 

Here is how you can take a step back-

Take a break: If the news is affecting your mental health to a great extent, it’s always a good idea to take a step back. You can base your return on how you’re feeling, or set a deadline. Taking occasional breaks serves as a great way to engage your mind in other activities. Remember when you used to indulge in activities that didn’t include your phone?

Make a schedule: Going cold turkey on social media doesn’t always work for everyone. Instead, you can schedule the amount of time you spend on an app. For example, cut yourself off at the one hour mark every day and don’t look back. This may induce tons of temptations, but like most diets- it’s a lifestyle choice.

Choose your news sources: It’s good to follow very selective news sources to avoid a feed that may be full of updates. Instead of coming across these posts on social media, you can limit checking these accounts to once or twice a day. Muting notifications is an excellent way to ensure that you seek out information instead of stumbling upon it.

Choose who you follow: Clear your feed of pages that don’t instil a feeling of happiness. Find the kind of content that radiates positivity and fill your feed with it. We often forget that we are in full control of what we’re consuming and can change it according to our preferences. 

Talk to People: Instead of reading pointless discussion under every relevant post, talk to the people around you. This ensures that you’re still engaging with everything you’re reading but again staying clear of all negativity.

No matter what it looks like, none of us is truly doomed. The act of doomscrolling is overwhelming but can be managed with a little mindfulness.