Confession: I need to touch grass. Rather, I needed to before I implemented the changes I’m about to share. Six weeks ago, my screen time for scrolling social media alone was sitting at roughly three hours a day, which totaled 93 hours in a month or almost four full days. Yet, when I tried to remember most of the content, I blanked.
The posts and videos that had seemed so funny and engaging in the moment had effectively disappeared and wasted a massive amount of time. It feels like people talk about social media addiction constantly, but for how prevalent I think the issue is, I never find enough content about how to break the habit before it spirals out of control.
For some, the answer is as simple as deleting or restricting an app, but I wanted to get more creative with it and eliminate the root: the desire to scroll. I admire anyone who can set a screen time limit and stick to it, but unfortunately, I’m just not that girl. If you aren’t either, one of these methods may work for you!
- Play Minute Cryptic
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Obsessed is a word I don’t use lightly, but I’m truly obsessed with the daily Minute Cryptic, arguably Wordle’s humble upgrade. I’ll admit that I found it while scrolling, but I’ve worked my way through a chunk of the archive and simultaneously eliminated a lot of time spent on socials.
Minute Cryptic provides a free daily clue to work through, and depending on the par, it can take seconds or all day to figure out. If you love the New York Times Games, adding Minute Cryptic to your routine may be a perfect change.
I find it a bit more mentally stimulating than similar games like Wordle or Spelling Bee, and there’s over 800 past clues in the archive if you become hooked the way I have.
- Use Physical Items
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Whenever possible, I create and rely on physical media for everyday things. As a girl who’s deeply bonded to her Notes app, this switch hurt, but nearly every time I went to update “To-Dos” or “Study Schedule,” I would open TikTok immediately after. Again, my doomscrolling addiction was worse than most.
This method may sound daunting, but I chose to reframe it as a fun challenge. I’ve traded my infinite Notes app lists for a miniature notebook. I write down recipes that I know I’ll use rather than favoriting the video. My favorite change is the Snoopy calendar hanging on my wall that’s replaced the app.
These changes may seem irrelevant to social media habits, but the less time I spent on my phone for everyday tasks, the more it felt unnatural to be holding it constantly. This method was probably the most difficult, but I believe it made a worthwhile difference.
- Reach a Podcast Quota
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I’ve found that setting a personal listening goal for podcasts every week has been the most effective measure to fill time that would have otherwise been spent scrolling. I aim for four hundred minutes a week, and typically listen while cooking, cleaning my apartment, or getting ready for the day.
What you choose to listen to is almost as important as making the switch in the first place. Sometimes it feels like there’s millions of podcasts juggling the same talking points, and it’s easy to become disengaged.
I try to be intentional and decisive with the media I consume and to avoid podcasts that reinforce my bad habits. I previously listened to podcast episodes that would feature celebrity guests or my favorite influencers. As entertaining as they were, I noticed that they would often push me back to social media to look them up and trigger a cycle of scrolling.
If you struggle with this, I believe the best way to fix it is to aim for what seems the most intimidating and the least likely to be trending. My go-to for the past several weeks has been Philosophize This, a podcast that explains the works of famous philosophers in a digestible way. I’ve found that it encourages me to start conversations about what I find interesting or research topics outside the sphere of social media. Some of my favorite episodes so far are “How To Win An Argument Pt. 1” and “Language Games.”
- Read short stories
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The times I found it hardest to resist scrolling were when I worked hard all day, hit everything on my (physical) to-do list, and completed every assignment. It felt natural to reward myself with scrolling to unwind, but I reminded myself that I had a much longer mental list of things I “no longer have time for” in the thick of the semester.
At the top of the list is reading for pleasure, so I used the spare hour before bed to get back into it. I didn’t feel like starting a long novel that I would have to pause once things became more hectic, so I reread my favorite short stories with exciting plots that blocked out the desire to scroll on my phone.
The next title on my list is “Recitatif” by Toni Morrison. Of course, if you want to start even shorter, other Her Campus articles are the perfect place!
The answer to this dilemma doesn’t have to be as complex as I chose to make it. Simply picking up a few more shifts at work or joining a new club may fill time effectively enough to keep you off your phone. I wanted to pursue changes that made me interested in new pastimes, rather than ignoring the problem. I hope one of these methods can become your new go-to!
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