Feeds. These algorithmically designed platforms. With each flick of the finger, you get another hit of curated content. With an endless supply of viral videos, clickbait articles, and sponsored content available, there is no limit on how much you will want to scroll.
In addition to the feeds, you get notifications. Sometimes it’s that somebody interacted with your profile directly. Other times, it’s just a notification that something happened that might be interesting to you. The sporadic nature of notifications is designed with just the right frequency to keep your dopamine addicted brain coming back for more.
I’ve written before about how social media is our generation’s cigarette. We know this to be true – having these social feeds on our phones is making us more anxious, depressed, and addicted to our phones.
The social distancing and stay at home restrictions have only amplified our addiction to the feeds on our phones. With less time spent out with friends, we spend more time consuming endless, harmful content.
So here is my challenge to you. Create a phone with no feeds. Remove all the apps, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, etc., that contain never-ending feeds from your smartphone. You can do this permanently, or you try this as a month-long fast (say for all of February).
By having a phone without feeds, you’ll begin to develop more healthy usage of technology. Your smartphone will become a tool again. You’ll have more time and energy available to live your life intentionally, and less spent mindlessly scrolling.
I have no social media apps at all any more I found looking at posts of media and so called friends life , made me often depressed at my own life until I started to re wire how I looked at my life and realised that I didn’t need to read or see the content of every moment, because living as I was, with a minimal life is more approach and not admiring the Jones or media made me realise I was fulfilled enough not to need this invasion of my life and I put my media time to better use of getting fit which I now run 20 miles aweek and start and end every day with a clear mind my phone is now purely a tool for verbal communication
Yes! Taking energy spent consuming online content and turn it into something positive in your life.
I’ve just done it last week. I think is a good treat, and it doesn’t necessarily means quitting from social media completely, but keeping it away from my fingers/my pocket and converting it in an intentional behavior.
For sure! This is a simple way to facilitate behavior change.