It really is that phone. Everyone you know is guilty of doomscrolling on TikTok for hours on end. Whether it’s watching 30-second videos of tutorials, lip syncing, or plain brain rot, we consistently use socials to distract ourselves or while bedrotting all day. It’s time we realize that social media is contributing to the decline of our attention spans and well-being.
Our phones are really frying our brains. We’re all tired of hearing this same thing; however, no matter what we do, we can’t run from the truth. Society has become so dependent on connecting through social media that we are disconnected from real life.
Online overconsumption, such as using our spare time to scroll on TikTok or Instagram reels instead of being productive or going for a walk, has been normalized over the years. Yes, it’s okay if you want to wind down by watching other people on your phone after a long and busy day. However, normally, our everyday screen time should be around two to four hours.
I will admit, most of the time, my daily average will surpass that by an hour or two. However, I still try to replace the time spent on my phone with other activities so I’m not relying on just my phone for entertainment.
In addition to your phone, social media should not be your only source of entertainment; the more time we spend on social media, the less patient we become. According to the Center for Humane Technology, “rapidly changing content and constant interruptions reduce our capacity to pay attention; we become used to quick sound bites and short videos.”
When it comes to movies and television shows, many adolescents and some teens will become bored after the first few minutes. We are being fed with so much overstimulating content that when we watch anything else that doesn’t immediately give us the right amount of dopamine, it’s uninteresting.
“The screen has become the enemy,” YouTuber Shimon Davis said.
We have built platforms that give people a voice and the space to connect with others all over the world. Meeting users with the same interests, or watching videos made by people with the same humor (because nobody else gets it), are all very beneficial ways to use social media. But what we don’t realize is that these platforms just enhance the disconnection between the online world and what’s real.
No matter the material, feeding our minds with 30-second content is not healthy. Procrastination has become much worse over time. Due to this, you’ll start a project, homework, or a chore, then take “phone breaks” in between because you’ve become used to not fulfilling a task for longer than 15 minutes. Sure, taking a break is good, but not when you’ve picked up your phone way too many times while trying to finish up that psych homework you’ve been working on for the past hour and a half.
If you want something to distract yourself with, find other alternatives. Try yoga, reading, or maybe a new hobby you’ve meant to get into. Don’t spend the majority of your day completely immersed in your phone. You’ll find that there are so many more ways to wind down than by watching vlogs of other people’s lives. Besides, we all need a digital detox from time to time.
