“If you have positive energy, you will always attract positive outcomes.” Steve Backley.

In last week’s blog I highlighted the impact that people and activities can have on our mood and energy levels. Whilst doing some research for that piece I came across the word “doomscrolling.” This was a concept that I wasn’t familiar with and links to the previous blog.

Apparently, this is the act of spending an excessive amount of time reading or watching large quantities of user-generated content or news, particularly negative news, on the web and social media.

In 2019, a study by the National Academy of Sciences in the USA found that doomscrolling can be linked to a decline in mental and physical health.

Whilst looking into it further I came across some useful tips on practical ways to manage Doomscrolling on mentalhealth.org.uk. I have listed these below: –

Turn off push notifications

Turning off instant alerts for social media or news apps can give you a break from anxiety-provoking information. This is easy to do; simply go to your phone settings and choose which apps you want to get alerts from and which ones you don’t.

Use a watch or an alarm clock

If you often doomscroll in bed, it may be because your phone doubles as your alarm clock. Switching to using a watch or a physical alarm clock may help. This way, you can leave your phone in a different room and break the habit of absorbing negative information that could affect your sleep.

Manage your social media feeds

Your social media feed is like having a personalised newspaper, you get to decide what content you see. You could make changes to what appears on your feed by blocking or hiding certain profiles, allowing you to limit the negative content you are exposed to.

Set a time limit

Setting a time limit on your scrolling can help, as long as you stick to it. For instance, you could try setting an alarm to restrict time spent on news apps. Or try limiting your scrolling to the time it takes to make a cup of tea. Find something that gives you a gentle signal that it’s time to put the phone down.

Consider phone-free zones

If you find yourself regularly doomscrolling in certain places, creating a “no-phone zone” may help you reduce your time spent online. For example, if you use the phone at mealtimes or in bed, you could consider making the bedroom or dining area a phone-free zone. You’re allowed to have quality time that isn’t interrupted by notifications every few minutes.

Balance the negative with a positive

For every doomscrolling session you have, you could choose to balance it out by doing something positive for your emotional health. Mindfulness, reading, spending time with others and exercising are all great self-care activities that can benefit your wellbeing.

This week, why not pause for a few moments to reflect. Consider how much time you spend doomscrolling and if you need to make any adjustments.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk