Doomscrolling occurs when you are scrolling through negative news content or social media. Often leading to stress or anxiety. For many high schoolers, doomscrolling can silently take away time that should be spent on homework, hobbies, or self-care. While technology is not inherently negative, the manner in which we consume technology does matter. Becoming self-aware of screen habits, and making conscious changes can ultimately help students regain control of their screen time. Here are 10 easy ways to help you stop doomscrolling and engage with screens more positively and productively.
1. Recognize the Doomscrolling Trap
Doomscrolling tends to start off as a little bit of curiosity and then turn into consuming a huge amount of distressing or upsetting content. Students in high school need to know that while this doomscrolling won't give them clarity, it will rob them of their energy. Students need to remember that awareness is the first step to change. When one can recognize this habit, they can intervene in the cycle. Instead of scrolling through sad headlines or posts full of toxicity, one can take a moment and ask, "Is this making me feel better or doing better?" That moment of mindfulness can begin to shift one's patterns of behavior in the digital world.
2. Set Time Limits for Social Media
Social media platforms have been meticulously developed to become habit-forming. You can create your own "daily limits" via built-in functionality such as Screen Time (iOS) or Digital Wellbeing (Android). Twenty to thirty minutes of social media a day can create balance. When the timer / limit expires, you will be asked to reflect and log off. You can limit yourself per app, making it beneficial for high schoolers to hold them accountable and stop the daily cycles of "doomscrolling" that start with "just five more minutes".
3. Curate Your Feed Intentionally
What you see online affects how you feel. If your feed is filled with negativity, bad news, or comparison traps, your mood will suffer. Start by unfollowing accounts that stress you out or waste your time. Follow inspirational pages of learning, creativity, or self-growth instead. High-schoolers can subscribe to educational creators, motivational speakers, or thoughtful influencers instead of passively scrolling through and engaging in doomscrolling online.
4. Replace Scrolling with Activities You Love
Scrolling is usually a time filler. You're bored, so you scroll. Instead of doomscrolling, find joyful alternatives: sketching, dancing, coding, playing music, journaling, or chatting with a friend. Create a list of go-to offline and online activities that bring you joy. Do it every single time you instinctively reach for your phone or scroll out of boredom. Eventually, your brain will learn to choose joy over junk.
5. Use Focus Apps or Website Blockers
Some of these apps including Forest, Freedom or StayFocusd help keep you focused by blocking distracting sites or rewarding productivity. For instance, Forest grows a virtual tree every minute you don't use your phone. These tools are also very powerful for high schoolers who are trying to manage school work with tempting distractions from technology. During your scheduled study hours block any doomscrolling apps and put your device somewhere you can't reach it. You will find that you can focus better and finish tasks quicker.
6. Set a 'No Phone' Zone Before Bed
Night time is primed to doomscroll. While entertaining this practice may feel harmless, it depletes sleep, increases anxiety and has the net effect of stealing our rest. Making a commitment to establish a sleep routine without your phone, or simply changing the way you charge your phone at night (another room, alarm clock) can have a positive impact. Being able to read a book, journal, or stretch will also help you wind-down. The evidence clearly suggests that high school-students who refrain from screens an hour before bed can sleep better and wake feeling energised and mentally clearer.
7. Practice Mindful Screen Use
Mindfulness is not only applicable to meditation but also for technology. Before opening an app, we should ask ourselves, "Why am I here?" If the honest reason is boredom or anxiety, stop. Having intentionality in our tech use minimizes doomscrolling. Consider using technology with a point of focus in mind (to learn something new, to reach out to a friend, or to watch a tutorial). When adolescents have a purpose for screen time, they feel more conscious of their usage and feel less regret after being online.
8. Talk to Friends About Screen Habits
Your friends are totally in the boat with you when it comes to doomscrolling too! Start a discussion with your friends on how you can all use your phones in a better way. You could even set some screen-time goals together or hang out in a 'tech-free' hang-out. When high schoolers hold one another accountable and trade healthy app recommendations, it forms healthy peer pressure. When you have your social group supporting you in making better choices, you are more likely to follow through. Together, you can all shift from wasted time online to spending time on what matters.
9. Turn Off Non-Essential Notifications
Every ping or buzz that alerts you tempts you to check your phone. And, then, one notification can lead to 30 minutes of doomscrolling. Turn off all notifications that are not essential—likes on social media or random app updates. Just keep the essentials: messages, calls, and any required notifications for school! High schoolers can also use “Do Not Disturb” when in class, studying, or enjoying a meal. With limited notifications, it is easier to live in the moment and break the scrolling cycle.
10. Reflect on Your Screen Time Weekly
Check your screen time statistics weekly. Ask yourself: What apps consumed the most of my time? How did I feel when I used those apps? Did I use my phone to improve myself or to escape reality? Journaling will help you identify patterns. High school students can also measure small victories as they move through this process - for example, less time on toxic apps and more on educational apps. Recognizing these patterns will help to make better decisions and build better, long-lasting habits.
Doomscrolling may feel insignificant in the moment, but it takes away your time, attention, and mood without you even realizing it. Once you identify the pattern and supplant this habit with healthier screen habits, teenagers can regain hours of their days. Screen time is not bad, just smarter. When tech is a tool, not a trap, you are in control. Apply these strategies in a step or two, and you will see your digital life can be more empowering than tiring.
FAQs
1. What is doomscrolling, and why is it bad?
Doomscrolling (or doomsurfing) is a pattern of behavior where someone engages in what is essentially endless scrolling of negative or upsetting content. It leads to increased anxiety, more time wasted, and less focus.
2. How do I stop doomscrolling when I am stressed?
Try to substitute scrolling with more calming practices like journal entries writing, deep breathing or going for a walk, and use apps that will restrict your access to distracted content.
3. Is screen time bad for teens?
Not necessarily, but it is important to consider how screen time is being used. Educational apps, creative platforms ,and meaningful dialogue are positive! Doomscrolling is not.
4. What is a realistic goal for screen time for a high schooler?
2-3 hours of meaningful screen time outside of school work is a reasonable goal. Consider tools to help limit unnecessary scrolling and track your data position on a weekly basis.
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