Rituals that ended my doomscrolling
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| Source: BlogChatter |
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Mister Tikku.
I noticed that I’ve been spending more time doomscrolling on social media than getting myself engaged in useful tasks. This realization came to me when I saw my incomplete to-do list getting carried over to the next day,and being consumed by a sense of guilt and anxiety for ending the day unproductively.
This was doing no good. I had to end it anyhow. Being
a creator of various content like blog posts, music, and technical stuff on
social media, it wasn’t a wise idea to boycott it completely. So, I had to find
something in my real life that would keep me hooked to it, without me feeling
an urge to doom scroll on social media for hours for an instant dopamine hit.
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| Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash |
I was hit by a tragedy last month, and it was completely unexpected, which put me in a deep state of guilt, grief, and despair, letting me question almost everything in my life. Some days, the sadness would be too heavy to put me to bed, while my tears would not stop flowing. Just like a corpse, I would stare at the ceiling of my apartment, cluelessly, with a blank mind.
I had to heal both physically and emotionally. That’s when I took shelter in the Sankrit Shlokas or mantras. I’ve always been so interested in Sanskrit and studied it till class 8, and would often chant some mantras or shlokas in my spare time. I can’t recall what made me so interested in Sanskrit; maybe it’s hereditary, as my mother holds a Master’s Degree in Sanskrit.
Early morning, when my eyes opened, I opened a
notebook and noted down some shlokas or mantras in red ink that I always wanted
to learn. I curated a list of Shlokas or mantras to recite or chant throughout
the day. This list was too exhaustive, and I prioritised reciting everything
from this list before going to bed.
Now my spare time was not filled by long doomscrolling sessions on social media, but revisiting the lists between my breaks and completing them.
I continued doing it for the last couple of weeks, and the effect was beyond my imagination. I not only got better physically but also became emotionally balanced. My focus on important tasks improved, and my mind was not searching for an easy dopamine boost through doomscrolling on social media.
I realized that I purchased a lifetime subscription to
Pomofocus App last year in January 2024 for improving my productivity. I used
it intermittently last year. Now is the time to put it to use, and I’m using it
to write this article in 30 minutes, and I am shocked to find how much I can do
when I am focussed! This article gets completed within 30 minutes!
Time is slipping away from our hands faster than we realize in this era full of distractions in the form of social media. Who is the culprit? Social Media? No, we can get lured by such traps because of a lack of self-control over ourselves.
Use social media judiciously and try to create content more than you consume. Overconsumption of content on social media leads to waste of time, lack of focus, or purpose. A few minutes of a break gets extended to a few hours without your realization. So, control this addiction before it gets too late.
Are you addicted to social media? If No, how are you
managing or controlling its use? I would like to read more about it in the
comment section.
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| Source: BlogChatter |
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Swati Sarangi
29.04.2024
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I admire how you didn’t just ditch social media, but found creative rituals to stay connected yet grounded—that’s way more sustainable. Your honesty about the tragedy that sparked the change made it deeply relatable; turning to mindful habits in grief is something I’ve tried myself. I especially loved picturing your mini to-do lists between breaks—simple, achievable, and healing. You’ve inspired me to carve out my own tiny rituals—maybe five deep breaths before opening Instagram or writing one real-life checkmark before scrolling. Thank you for sharing something so personal and practical—it’s rare and brave. This post didn’t just make me think, it actually made me want to pause and thrive again.
ReplyDeleteThat is commendable! Your post has given me hope that if we wish to we can pit an end to doom scrolling, which serves no purpose. I am going to check out the Pomofocus App. Thank you for sharing. Mayuri
ReplyDeleteWhat is this Pomofocus app? Two learnings from your article :)
ReplyDeleteScrolling on social media is a dangerous addiction. Kids getting addicted to games on mobile is also an equally challenging situation.
ReplyDeleteI've been going on and off social media regularly. I get exhausted with all the drama. Sanskrit is a very healing language. I also studied it till class VIII. I wouldn't mind going back to it again and enjoy reading hymns in Sanskrit.
ReplyDeleteSuch a refreshing take—love how you replaced mindless doomscrolling with meaningful, soul-soothing rituals! Your personal stories and simple swaps make it feel totally doable. Thanks for inspiring me to pause, breathe, and reclaim my peace
ReplyDeleteIt's necessary to find creative ways to avoid doomscrolling. Recently, I noticed myself blankly scrolling through reels, and realised that I was not even paying any attention it was just my eyes hooked and my thumb scrolling rest of my mind and soul was just lying.
ReplyDeleteI can relate so much to this. It is often endless meaningless doomscrolling when we actually can be productive. Also I love your coping mechanism, any for of meditation calms and heals our soul.
ReplyDeleteLoved the mix of personal reflection and practical rituals. The idea of “tiny acts of reclamation” really stayed with me.
ReplyDeleteIt’s refreshing to see digital overwhelm tackled with intention rather than guilt.
Wow, this really hits home. It’s so easy to get caught up in endless scrolling without even realizing how much time we lose. I love how you found peace and focus through chanting and the Pomofocus app... such a powerful way to take back control. Thanks for sharing your journey so honestly. I’m definitely inspired to rethink my own habits now.
ReplyDelete- Anjali/Messymom
It is great that you found something to stop doom scrolling and it has worked and also reduced your time of consuming content and chose to spend time on content creation.
ReplyDeleteLoved the way you shifted your focus onto some meaningful things. I even want to focus on language, but the social media scrolling is really something... I need to change that. Thanks for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteSocial media is addictive but I find it toxic these days. I try to avoid it as much as I can. I used to post regularly but I never was a scroller. I feel one has to be mindful and have set times in the day for everything.I admire you for learning shlokas and mantras to divert yourself. Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteI can relate so much to the struggle of doomscrolling. Your simple, intentional rituals are inspiring! It’s a beautiful reminder that small, mindful changes can bring peace and balance back into our days. Thank you for sharing your journey.
ReplyDeleteThis was such a heartfelt and powerful read. I’ve been struggling with doomscrolling too, and your idea of replacing it with something meaningful like chanting shlokas really struck a chord. I’m definitely going to try creating a mindful ritual for myself too. Thank you for sharing your journey so honestly.
ReplyDeleteThis was so relatable and inspiring! Replacing doomscrolling with something soul-nourishing like Sanskrit shlokas is such a beautiful shift. Loved the raw honesty and reminder to reclaim our time intentionally.
ReplyDeleteIndeed there is a reason scrolling mindlessly has been given the name 'doom scrolling',you kill hours and learn nothing achieve nothing. I love your idea of embracing long lost hobbies to help use social media only judiciously and break out of the rut. Learning Sanskrit Shlokas is a very special way to use your time.
ReplyDeleteI use the phone more than I should but it is usually to play games. You are right about spending time on social media. A few minutes turns into hours.
ReplyDeleteAll of us at some point have been consumed by doomscrolling, so I hope you don't pull yourself down for it. It does distract you from real work. Shlokas and mantras have a calming way to surrender ourselves to positive emotions and I'm glad they helped you. I often recite Hanuman Chalisa, Gayatri Mantra or play them on loop while I'm doing chores. Works just as well.
ReplyDeleteWe've all been there, right? I understand the benefits of creative distractions and I did just that last year when I was pregnant. I somehow didn't want to overwhelm myself and have chaos in my head through all those "content".
ReplyDeleteWell we dont know when , how and where life will take a U turn and may or may not distract us from the real flow of life and that is where these healing methods through Sholoka chanting works. It worked for me too. My mother said what made you so inclined to spirituality... I smiled and said no its not just spirituality but a way to give meaning to life by embracing positive vibes of the age old mantras and sholokas. I also chant every day Hanuman Chalisa and it gives me immense power and courage in life.
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely what most of us struggle with. Id love to know about the pomofocus app please
ReplyDeleteI am sure like you, like me, most of us need it. I so want to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI hope and pray that you come out of your grief soon.shloka Chanting is an excellent form of self growth, and not just a remedy for doom scrolling.
ReplyDeleteI'm really good about keeping a limit on my social media activities. Work and mom duties help.
ReplyDeleteNoor Anand Chawla