For a long time, I’ve been acutely aware that doomscrolling was making me anxious. But still, constantly scrolling through all sorts of distressing content on my phone was a habit I couldn’t seem to break.
Whether I was waiting in line at my local coffeeshop or unwinding in bed at night, I found myself unable to resist reaching for my phone, seemingly on autopilot.
There was a positive intention behind this: I wanted to feel informed about the world around me. But the constant influx of updates about ongoing criminal trials, natural disasters, and mass-casualty events definitely left me with a pretty negative outlook.
Studies have repeatedly shown that doomscrolling takes quite a toll on both our mental and physical well-being, contributing to more stress, anxiety, and fatigue.
So, I made one rule for myself: Every time I had the urge to open Instagram, I’d make an effort to learn one tiny thing instead. I call them “micro-curiosities.”
Here’s how it unfolded — and why this is a change I plan to stick with.
I started by making a list of things I’m interested in
To make the experiment as seamless as possible, I drew up a list of topics and activities I was interested in, but either didn’t know much about or had never gotten around to exploring.
The goal was to give myself a “menu” of low-effort ways to follow my curiosity, whether that meant trying something different, learning something new, or just paying a little closer attention to the world around me.
As soon as I recognized that I had opened a social media app, I could pull up my list of options rather than wasting time brainstorming what to do.
I figured it would be similar to how I’m more likely to go for a morning run if my workout clothes and sneakers are laid out ahead of time, or eat a healthy meal if it’s prepped in advance. This “menu” of ideas could help me reduce the friction that may send me right back to scrolling on social media.
For example, I’ve been craving Caprese salads this summer, so learning how to grow fresh basil at home topped my list. I also included a goal to expand my vocabulary and look up the “word of the day” on Merriam-Webster, read a memoir, and get outside at least once a day.
In the initial days of my experiment, I’d often start scrolling Instagram without remembering my plan to replace this habit. It felt a lot like learning to meditate — with practice, I was able to pull myself back to the present more quickly and easily.
By day three, it only took me a few minutes to realize I was doomscrolling, close the app, and revisit my list of topics to explore.
The experiment freed up more time to do things I love
I know that doomscrolling — and repeatedly exposing myself to negative news — can stress me out. So I made it a point to pursue replacement activities that did the opposite.
For example, I know there are lots of science-backed benefits to spending time outside, so one of the activities on my list involved researching new routes for stroller walks with my son.
On the route we ended up choosing, we passed one of those charming “little free libraries” where I picked up a new book to read with him. One micro-curiosity led to another.
Speaking of reading, I found that spending less time on my phone opened up time for me to dive into hobbies I love.
I’d been meaning to read Lena Dunham’s new memoir, “Famesick,” for months — but I kept putting it off. I told myself I didn’t have enough time as a new mom working full time. This micro-curiosity experiment proved me wrong.
A few minutes here and there spent on social media may not seem like much, but it can easily add up to half an hour or more between morning and night.
When I replaced doomscrolling with reading just one page of the book, I made it through almost an entire chapter by the end of the day. And when I checked my screen time report, my daily average was down 44% from the previous week.
Learning new things has been great for my mental health
Social media use has been linked to the brain’s dopamine-driven reward system, which plays a role in motivating us to keep seeking out pleasurable experiences.
Part of why we can’t seem to stop scrolling is the element of surprise: You’re privy to a never-ending feed of new content, fresh information, and unpredictable rewards.
But I was pleasantly surprised to find that trying a new recipe or teaching myself a new song on the piano felt just as satisfying. It turns out, these activities could give me a boost of dopamine, too.
Better yet, these micro-curiosities didn’t leave me feeling anxious, bummed out, or overwhelmed. And if that’s not motivation enough to ditch the doomscrolling permanently, I don’t know what is.
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