How to Actually Stop Doomscrolling

Ask yourself this: why is being bored actually a problem? Boredom is a weird feeling. Everyone thinks it's this placid emotion, but really it's the opposite. Boredom hurts. It's agitated and energetic. It's a feeling of restlessness you can't shake. So why do we go about it wrong?

Imagine you're having a panic attack and some dude comes up and hooks you up to a machine that stimulates you even more. That would suck, right? So why is that our first response when we're bored? More stimulation?

Next time, try this: take a deep breath and sit with it. Lie down, stare at the ceiling. Just don't act on it. It sounds crazy, but after about 10 minutes, your brain starts coming up with all sorts of ideas of things to do. When you don't have a crutch to lean on, your brain finally has to find that stimulation on its own. And nine times out of 10, that'll be more productive than scrolling.

So here are some ideas to kick you off:

Read a Book

The last time you read a book was probably in school, so let's change that. First off, reading isn't boring - you're probably just reading boring books. A good book can be what saves you from scrolling. It's entertainment in its purest form, kind of like YouTube without the suggested content or TikTok without the ability to swipe.

So ask yourself: what do you like to watch? Maybe it's anime or sci-fi or true crime. Well, there's a book for that. I'm not telling you to read Mice and Men, but pick up something and start reading.

Exercise

This one's simple, but honestly one of the best ways to get over boredom is just to get moving. Run or do a workout, or even just go on a walk.

Learn Something New

What thing have you always wanted to learn how to do? Maybe it's how to skate or play the guitar or code. Well, now's the time to do that. Those few hours you're saving every day from not scrolling are perfect for learning something new.

Imagine that if for the next year, you could devote an hour every day to a new hobby. That's 365 hours. By the end of that year, that's easily enough time to get pretty damn good at whatever it is you want to do. So choose that thing now.

Work on Your Purpose

The same logic also applies here. Imagine you spent an hour a day working on a business or in a charity or an extra hour into your studies. Well, by the end of the year, you might be set on something pretty great that you created.

Ask yourself the four Ikigai questions: What do you love? What does the world need? What can you be paid for? What are you good at? Now devote some time to making that happen.

Meditate

This is another easy one, but it cuts to the core of the problem. Meditation sounds boring, but it's because no one's ever explained it to you. It's not about the time you spend meditating, but about the effect it has on you when you aren't. Meditation kills that inner voice. It stops the mind ruminating, gives you a feeling of presence which makes that feeling of boredom a hell of a lot easier. Even meditating just 5 minutes a day will have a huge impact on your life, giving you the ability to just sit there and be happy.

Journal

Kind of similar is journaling. For me, my journal has always acted as a kind of bridge between my subconscious and conscious mind. What I mean by that is it helps me rationalize the things I'm feeling and actually come up with solutions for them. New ideas for things to do, visualizations and plans for goals, a place to vent stress - you really can't get bored of them. Just sit down and write whatever's going through your head, however stupid it sounds. There's real power in it.

Now look, I get it. You're not always going to want to do all this stuff. A lot of the time we go to our phones because we're tired, and a lot of these ideas can be a lot of effort. So figure out a few things you can do that are easy, just pure fun for when you feel zero motivation to do anything.

I think a great replacement for a lot of people is things like movies or podcasts. They give you that same easy consumption but in a more healthy way. What I like to say is choose an activity that exists in a vacuum. Take a film for example: you sit down, you watch it, and that's it. There's no "up next" or comments or infinite feed. When you're done with it, you're done. It's the perfect example of intentional consumption.

So figure out how you can intentionally consume when there's really nothing else you want to do. Manifest Excellence, brother. I'm proud of you.

Let me know in the comments if you've tried any of these ideas or if you have any other suggestions for dealing with boredom without reaching for your phone!

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