I’ve been there a lot lately: sitting down on the couch with the intention to scroll for “just a couple of minutes”. Suddenly, before I know it, 45 minutes go by and I’m grumpy because—come on—was that really necessary?

So I started thinking about how my current phone habit will impact the big picture. A screen time calculator did the work for me. If I continue scrolling for roughly 3 hours per day, it’ll add up to 7 years across my entire lifetime. Not a great statistic.

And I’m not the only one raising questions. Many countries now argue that young people should decrease their time spent online. Australia recently passed one of the world’s strictest laws on the topic, completely banning social media for under 16 year olds. Why? These platforms do more harm than good.

But the concern goes beyond policymakers. Following a public vote, Oxford named ‘brain rot’ as the 2024 word of the year, questioning the impact of over consuming low-quality content on the internet. Unsurprisingly, research backs this up: Excessive scrolling harms our mental wellbeing and brain health. Passive screen time is like sugar—it’s delicious in the moment but doesn’t fuel us in the long run.

I know what you’re thinking: no, duh. But there’s always a silver lining: Not every scrolling session is time wasted. The right content and formats can help us gain new perspectives, inspiration and topics of conversation. Doing research for this edition reminded me of this. I found several cool examples on the topic that I’m excited to share with you—from phone-free spaces to focus tech.

Other than that, I’ve set an intention to read my book during my commute home instead of mindlessly scrolling. Have you found any good ways to unplug lately? Feel free to share.

Anna

Some numbers

Hear them out

Many of us can’t even fathom the idea of being bored anymore. How could we, when we’re constantly stimulated with online content and inputs? Here are three examples of audio(visual) storytelling on the topic.

First Person - The teenager leading the smartphone liberation movement By the New York Times, an in-depth conversation with Logan Lane, the teenager who gave up her smartphone and founded the Luddite Club.

The Psychology of your 20s - Why having hobbies is so important A quick and easy listen on why psychology says having (certain kinds of) hobbies is so important.

oliSUNvia - Drowning in entertainment: The age of distraction A video essay that discusses how being overloaded with constant audiovisual inputs has completely altered our attention spans.

Read between the lines

From leaving your phone at the door to attend an offline club—or while out partying at an actual club—to wanting to break away from the influence of TikTok, these articles explore the impact that technology has over ourselves and our connections.

Digital detoxes

Although the term ‘digital detox’ might conjure up images of meditation or wellness resorts (like the one Nicole Kidman directed in Nine Perfect Strangers), it doesn’t have to be that deep. It can also refer to simple moments that encourage us to unplug. Here are three examples.

	Room to Breathe An initiative by the Manchester Art Gallery combining art and mindfulness.
	Ordinary Zine A counter-doomscrolling format that promotes taking note of the ordinary.
	The Offline Club A global club organizing phone-free meet-ups with the motto: ‘Swap screen time for real time’.

Through art

Most people first became aware of their ‘doomscrolling’ habit during the Covid pandemic. But many of us are still excessively and passively consuming negative news. This is how three different artists have given their take on the topic through different artistic mediums.

	DOOMSCROLLING - Kayla Mattes (2022-2023) In her hand-made weavings, Kayla Mattes’ discusses our addiction to digital culture. She explores the concepts that keep us scrolling—from memes and gifs to TikToks and the pursuit of answers to the most burning questions.
	REMOVED - Eric Pickersgill (2014-present) Eric Pickersgill photographs our phone obsessed society—without the actual phone. The result is an eerie commentary on loneliness and disconnect.
	Doomscrolling - Zorawar Sidhu & Rob Swainston (2022) Tragic events often don’t feel real when we’re witnessing them through doomscrolling. Sidhu and Swainston’s series of woodblock prints by the same name captured 18 montages of important moments in recent US history. Through this, they hold onto them as real, ongoing issues that require social change.

Tech to unplug

Technology that helps us unplug? Sounds ironic, we know. But, if you’re ever itching to pick up your phone when you should be focusing on work, give these a try.

Forest The more focused you are, the more trees you grow. Close the app and you threaten to reverse your progress.

mymind A tool that offers a different way to unplug. Gather your thoughts without having to worry about tracking or ads.

I Miss My Cafe Do you focus best while working at a cafe? Then create your own cafe ambiance at home, while staying focused with a pomodoro timer.

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