As digital natives, Gen Zers consume a lot of media, most of it being memes and short-form content. While scrolling for hours on TikTok is fun, it’s definitely not good for your brain in the long run. So, here are a few ways to curb your social media addiction.
Before I begin, what exactly is brain rot? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, brain rot is defined as, “A perceived loss of intelligence or critical thinking skills, esp. (in later use) as attributed to the overconsumption of unchallenging or inane content or material. Now also: content or material that is perceived to have this effect.” This term began making its way into the vocabulary of social media users in 2024, and it is now used to describe memes or jokes that one could only understand from being exposed to a substantial amount of internet usage. Of course, being in the know is all fun and games, but taking a break or reducing the amount of time spent on social media can be beneficial in many ways. That being said, this is easier said than done, so here are a few ways to help undo brain rot:
1. As a reformed social media warrior, one thing that actually helped me stay off my phone was to start reading. In other words, find a hobby. I used to think I didn’t have time for hobbies, but my seven hours of daily screen time say otherwise. Reading, however, is not the only hobby that qualifies as an alternative. Things like crafting, cooking, baking, journaling, and learning new skills are also great ways to take a step away from social media. Even replacing 30 minutes of screen time with a hobby or journaling when you first wake up instead of scrolling is a great and attainable option.
2. Next, hanging out with friends can keep your mind occupied instead of mindless scrolling. Genuine conversations and real-life jokes are much more fulfilling than brain rot and senseless memes. However, this only works when you hang up and hang out; you can’t just meet up and end up on social media.
3. Going on a walk or working out is truly the answer to almost everything. Putting your restless energy towards something beneficial is a great way to release endorphins, as opposed to quick dopamine hits from short-form content. This may be a harder switch to make, but it ends up being both physically and mentally rewarding.
4. One of the more extreme ways to keep away from social media is literally locking it away. This concept has become increasingly popular for people trying to break their addictions. You can purchase lock boxes with timers on them or simply give your phone to someone and tell them to keep it away from you. This option is fairly aggressive but will suffice if all else fails!
5. In the same vein, screen time is built into our settings for a reason. The last time you got a screen-time alert was probably when you were grounded in high school, but it is actually a great way to wean yourself off of apps. Setting an allotted amount of time that you can spend on each app can help you reduce the overall time you spend on social media and encourage intentionality in the way you spend this time.
6. You may be thinking, “But I’m going to get FOMO from missing all the new memes,” but encouraging your friends to join your social media offload is another great way to make this process easier, and it is mutually beneficial to your whole friend group! Most things are more fun when you do them with friends, and this could make you feel less excluded when spending less time than usual on social media.
At the end of the day, being in on all the jokes and turning your brain off is always tempting, but moderation is the key with activities like scrolling on reels or your FYP. Whether you choose to take up a new hobby, get your friends to join the challenge, or just keep TikTok out of reach, decreasing your time on social media can have many upsides, so give it a shot!