WTF is Doom Scrolling, and how can you stop it?

WTF is Doom Scrolling, and how can you stop it?

Over 2020, the phrase Doom Scrolling became popularized, and it couldn’t have happened in a more appropriate year. 

Last year we saw the COVID pandemic, brutal acts of institutional racism and a frustrating presidential election causing us to consume endless feeds of negative news and media, hence “Doom Scrolling”. 

As increasingly digital beings in lockdown, we are probably all victims of this. So how can you take charge of your media consumption and start a digital detox?

Use a screen limiting app

Sometimes what is needed is a straight-up break. With Covid-19 restrictions, the amount of time on social media and looking at the news when we are bored has dramatically increased. Thankfully, there are plenty of screen limiting apps in stores now (Apple has also introduced a built-in software to do this).

Consume more wholesome news sources

Staying informed is so important. But over the last year, the news has been overwhelming. Check out a more positive source such as David Byrne’s ‘Reasons To Be Cheerful’ or the ‘Positive News Network’ to balance out the seemingly endless stream of negative news stories.

Switch to a ‘good screen’

You might want to consider labelling screens which give you access to news and social media as ‘bad screens’. On the other side, ‘Good screens’ are a safe space for screen time and media consumption. Examples of these could be games consoles, TV with Netflix and other non-news streaming services.

Clean up your socials!

Social media is an excellent way to keep in touch with friends, family and interests safely in the pandemic. However, sometimes those negative vibes creep their way into our social feeds. Do some housekeeping on your likes, follows and friends list to build an empowering, inspiring and positive impact on your feed.

What are you doing to create a digital detox and are you concerned about your screen time during the Covid-19 pandemic and it’s lockdowns? Let us know on Twitter at @Rubber_Republic.