on October 13, 2025
Doomscrolling. We have all been there. You sit down to watch a movie and realize you are still glued to your phone, scrolling through content you will not even remember tomorrow. Or you wake up and grab your screen before you even get out of bed. If this sounds like you, your brain is begging for a reset.
Researchers are warning us about what all this scrolling is doing. Reza Shabahang from Flinders University put it bluntly: “Doomscrolling can have some dire consequences on our mental health and wellbeing leaving us feeling stress, anxiety, despair and questioning the meaning of life.” The Guardian reported that endless scrolling is directly linked to anxiety and even existential dread.
And here is the hopeful part. A 2025 study led by Dr. Adrian Ward and published in PNAS Nexus found that people who blocked mobile internet access for just two weeks (while still being able to call and text) saw major improvements in mental health, attention span, and overall well-being. The Debrief If two weeks made that much difference, imagine what 30 days could do.
So let’s build the case and a challenge.
What Too Much Screen Time Does to You
Your brain
Constant scrolling overloads your dopamine system. Quick hits of likes, videos, and notifications make it harder to focus on slower, deeper tasks.
Studies show excessive screen time increases anxiety and weakens attention span. Your brain becomes addicted to stimulation.
Your body
Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin, making sleep harder and shallower. Poor sleep then impacts hormones, metabolism, and immune function.
Sitting hunched over a screen leads to back and neck pain, eye strain, and even tension headaches.
Your mood
Overexposure to negative news increases stress and feelings of hopelessness.
Comparing yourself to endless highlight reels on social media fuels low self-esteem and restlessness.
When you think about it, the cost is huge. Hours disappear. Energy drains. And the very tech designed to connect us often leaves us feeling more alone.
The 30-Day Digital Detox Challenge
Here is the reset: limit social media apps to 1 hour a day for 30 days. Use built-in timers or blocking tools to hold yourself accountable.
Tools to Help
-
Brick — Brick turns your phone back into a tool. Tap your Brick to activate and unbrick with intention
- Freedom App — blocks distracting apps and websites during set times.
- Forest — a focus timer that grows a digital tree while you stay off your phone.
- Built-in screen timers — most iPhones and Androids let you set app limits right in settings.
What to Do With Your Time Instead
When you cut down your screen time, you are not just saying no to scrolling. You are saying yes to the things you swore you never had time for. This is your chance to live your life again, to build a legacy, and to try the things that have been sitting in the back of your mind for too long.
- Journal: Pour your thoughts onto paper. Write about your day, your goals, or just the random ideas that pop into your head. You might be surprised by what comes out when you give yourself space.
- Move your body: Step outside for a walk, sign up for that spin class, or stretch it out in your living room. Start training for the marathon you always talk about. However you do it, giving your body attention clears mental fog faster than any scroll ever could.
- Tackle projects: Organize your house, build the deck, paint the room, or do a full house and yard reset. Small wins add up and give you a fresh environment to live in.
- Connect for real: Put your phone down and look someone in the eye. Play with your kids, call your best friend, or sit down to dinner with your partner without a single screen in sight.
- Create something: Pick up a guitar, paint, write, or build something with your hands. Creation brings joy in a way consumption never will.
- Rest on purpose: Take a nap, read a book, or simply sit in quiet with your coffee. Rest is productive when it restores you.
- Build your legacy: Write the book, sketch out the business plan, or learn a new language. Future-you will thank you for starting today.
Final Thoughts
You can do this. Be intentional with your time and take back your focus. Discipline is not a burden, it is freedom. Stay consistent and you will feel the difference. You have everything it takes to step away from the scroll and start chasing the bigger goals that matter most.
Journey Well
SEMKA