We’ve all been there, mindlessly scrolling through endless reels and shorts on social media. If you’re like me, you’ve probably fallen victim to the “infinite scroll” at least a few times in your lifetime (or maybe in a week).
Social media is also not easy to get rid of. After all, it’s our way to stay in touch with friends and family or get some entertainment during a study break. I’ll be very real with you. I’m not going to tell you to delete the app outright because let’s face it, that’s not happening.
So, why do we have the temptation to open these apps in the first place?
The Science Behind It
Every time you get a notification, it triggers the release of dopamine (nicknamed “the happy hormone”) in our brains. Essentially, it works like a reward system— since you received a positive outcome (release of dopamine) from receiving and opening the notification, you are prompted to repeat it. As you keep repeating that behavior, it creates a bad habit loop.
Social media is designed to show us content based on our interests and combined with the bitsize nature of this content, it’s easy to fall into a rabbit hole.
So, that’s all said and done, but if we can’t delete these apps, what can we do to limit our usage of social media?
Alternatives to Using Social Media
We turn to social media in a variety of situations, so here are some suggestions to try before you head toward another “infinite scroll”.
You are bored and have a lot of time to spend (which, unfortunately, rarely happens for us students).
Read a book. There is a right book out there for everyone, and all we have to do is figure out what we like. If you have time, consider picking up a book on something you enjoy (a.k.a not a book for school). If you are afraid of getting too immersed like me, you could still try this by reading something without an overarching plot and more for laughs like Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
You have a break (maybe an hour or so) and want to have fun (now this is far more realistic).
Watch a childhood show. Okay, hear me out first. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we simply don’t have the time to binge-watch a whole season of our favorite drama. Nowadays, it is quite hard to find shows that aren’t too addictive. Rewatching a childhood classic allows you to enjoy the thrill of rediscovering something you enjoyed (and it’s likely you still remember much of the plot). Alternatively, if you are into sitcoms, you could watch an episode or two from one you haven’t seen before (which are generally less addictive since each episode isn’t directly correlated to the plot).
1. You have about a 10-minute break.
Use another app. Okay, so you have a short break and you want something to do. This is probably the most difficult situation because you don’t want to end up in an infinite scroll, but again, you can’t just sit there and do nothing. So, what do you do? Well, it’s probably hard to get off your phone, so I suggest finding something more productive to do on your device. This could be maintaining your Duolingo streak or keeping a digital journal (which is far easier than pulling out a notebook, pens, glue stick, and stickers every evening to make a physical journal).
Watch an episode of Bluey. There is no logical explanation for this, but I couldn’t fit it in #2. If you want to watch a heartwarming animated show in about seven minutes that is somehow very deep for a children’s cartoon, then this is perfect! If not, it’s still something to try!
2. You have to do some boring task that you don’t want to do.
This could be completing household chores, doing exercise, or organizing your workspace. In this case, you could try listening to a podcast or some music! Podcasts are a great way to keep your mind entertained while doing a repetitive chore.
3. When you actually decide to go on social media
If you want to go on social media, consider doing so when you have strict time restrictions. This could be right before school, after which you have to head to classes, which requires you to leave your phone.
While social media can be a great way to connect and stay up to date, too much can have detrimental effects. Changing our habits isn’t always easy, but if we all put in a little more thought every time we open these apps, we can make steps toward improving ourselves.
Thank you to Maya B for editing this article!
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