Everyone wants to unwind after a long day of work, and for a lot of people that means scrolling on social media. In the long run, too much social media can negatively affect your memory, attention span, sleep, and more. As much as we love TikTok, there are so many other low effort, relaxing activities we can do instead.Â
Go on a walk outside.
Going on walks promotes physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. If you take a 30 minute walk instead of the usual 30 minute scroll on TikTok, you will feel much better at the end of the day and get some exercise that doesn’t require your heart rate to go up much. Even if you don’t feel like doing the walking part, just sitting outside and immersing yourself in nature will quickly prove itself to be beneficial.Â
Find a different form of media to engage with.
Social media can be a great way to learn about new topics, but short video formats can quickly lower your attention span. Look at recent events on news websites or watch recent covers. Find a podcast that interests you, or listen to the audiobook of something you’ve been wanting to read but don’t have the time. Even watching a show or movie is better than mindless scrolling.Â
Reflect or meditate on your day.
Instead of engaging with anything, it could be beneficial to take a moment and breathe. Sit in silence and let yourself be bored. Maybe you want to jot down some thoughts or moments from the day that stood out to you. Try to reflect on your feelings and learn more about yourself.
While this was only three short suggestions, there’s a whole world of things you can do instead of mindless scrolling. If none of these appeal to you, think of something you like. Maybe there’s a craft you’ve been wanting to do, or a video game you’ve been wanting to play. During this time you could even make a list of things you would like to do instead of scrolling. I’m not suggesting we stop going on social media altogether, but making a change to be on it for less time will help us in the long run.
Since we are still in the beginning of the semester, now is the best time to settle into a routine that doesn’t overly rely on social media. I’ve started by setting a time limit and making sure I stick to it. Of course there are days where I can’t help but override, but the most important thing is an effort to change. It starts now.