Doomscrolling (3 of 7)

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Hi!

In our last lesson we talked about making a plan for using your

phone and today we’ll look at mindfulness as a way of breaking

the habit.

Doomscrolling is often a “mindless” habit—you’re scrolling

through those headlines without even thinking about it, absorbing

all that negative information and stress without being completely

conscious of what you’re doing.

Time slips away as you get sucked deeper and deeper down the

rabbit hole of doomscrolling.

Embracing mindfulness can help break this habit and restore

your control of the environment around you.

Mindfulness is the practice of staying “in the moment,”

noticing the world you’re in and paying more attention to

what you’re doing, what you’re thinking, and (most importantly)

what you’re feeling.

It’s not meditation, but it does result in a more enhanced

experience as you go about your daily life.

You can use meditation to attain a state of mindfulness, of

course, but it’s not necessary if you can allow yourself to

become conscious of your environment and pay attention to

what’s going on around you.

Checking in with yourself is the practice of determining your

physical and emotional state at any moment.

Mornings are a great time to check in, as are bedtimes, but

you can perform a self-check at any time.

Let yourself relax and become still, so you can listen to

your own thoughts and notice your feelings and your physical

sensations

Start by becoming aware of your experiences at the moment.

What sensations in your body can you feel?

Begin at the top of your head and work your way down to your

toes.

Maybe you notice tension on one area, or feel your tummy rumbling

because lunch is overdue. Perhaps you can feel chilly or warm, or

you feel a sense of fatigue.

Notice any physical sensations that may be unpleasant, like aches

or pains or fatigue, and think of a way to alleviate or control

them so they don’t take over your day.

Acknowledge the negatives without allowing them to rule your

mind and body.

What thoughts are going through your mind?

Try to acknowledge the nature or content of those thoughts

without getting sucked into actually thinking about anything

except the mindfulness exercise.

For example, if you’re thinking about driving to work, acknowledge

the thought and ask yourself what feelings are associated with it.

You don’t need to do anything about those thoughts and feelings:

just recognize that they’re present without dwelling on any of

them.

Now, narrow your attention and focus on your breathing.

Focus on the physical sensations of breathing in and out.

Feel your abdomen expanding as you inhale, and feel the air

flowing through your mouth or nostrils as you exhale.

Follow each breath through your body and allow the rhythm to

anchor yourself in the present moment and just be there.

Practicing a mindfulness check-in from time to time can help you:

• Break out of habitual actions and reactions that you may not

even be aware of.

• See yourself and others (and information) more clearly and

honestly.

• Understand situations and how you react to them.

• Engage with life in new and more satisfying ways that are

healthy and uplifting to your mind, body and spirit.

In our next lesson, we’ll take a close look at what is called

the “Stop” technique. This is an effective way to break the

doomscrolling habit quickly.

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