The Hit List - 10 great alternatives to doomscrolling

I’m the first to admit it: I doomscroll more often than I like. What’s “doomscrolling,” you ask? According to Wikipedia: “Doomscrolling (also known as doomsurfing) is the act of consuming a large quantity of negative online news at once. Mental health experts have stated that the practice can be detrimental to mental health.” Last week, I was constantly whirling through my Twitter feed trying to catch up on all the drama unfolding on the world’s stage. It was hard to tear away.

At some point, I reached my overload. I had to shut it down, unplug, and get my head wrapped around other things (ex: work). Still, the temptation was lurking in the back of my mind.

I know that when I preoccupy my brain with too much news, it inevitably leads to depression and anxiety. While I believe in being informed, obsession over negative shit (that you have zero control over) isn’t healthy. Here are a few suggestions to kick the doomscrolling habit (trust me, these alternatives are much better for you):

1. Keep your phone off and away as much as possible. My phone is always on silent. At certain times of the day, it remains in an inconvenient spot so I’m not tempted to check it.

2. Install software like Freedom to block distracting websites and apps. I mentioned that in last week’s Hit List about productivity – and I swear by it.

3. Read a good book. I’m currently reading The Moon Book by Sarah Faith Gottesdiener. I highly recommend it!

4. Listen to an inspiring podcast. There are so many to choose from! Check out So Obsessed or The Astrology Podcast. (Psst…avoid podcasts that focus on the news.) Don’t like podcasts? Turn on the tunes. I’m always on the hunt for new music. Scanning the web for interesting artists like Serena Isioma and SUPER-Hi & Neeka is much better than the damn news!

5. Try hypnosis. I was a huge skeptic until I tried the Grace Space hypnosis app. This has improved my state of mind by 1000%.

6. Take long walks in nature. If you go with a friend, talk about anything BUT the news.

7. Cook a new recipe. When I’m stressing about the state of the world, I cook. This week, I made “white borscht,” a Ukrainian sour soup. My family went nuts for it!

8. A good soak in the bathtub restores the spirit. Don’t like baths? Get in the shower!

9. Meditation or yoga. When I’m hitting the mat, I’m avoiding the screen. That simple. Even a few short minutes in down dog gets my brain chilling.

10. Spend time with pets. According to science, animals have a soothing effect on humans. I believe that. I know that when I am relaxing on the couch with a cat on my lap, my anxiety goes way down. If you don’t have a pet, volunteer to walk a friend’s dog. Or even hanging out at the dog park watching them play while you kick back with a coffee and book could be enjoyable!

There are many other methods for getting off the doomscrolling patrol but these are my favorite. What about you? How do you switch off when the news is dire…and it’s tempting to digitally rubberneck?

I’ve got my black tourmaline and I’m armed real well!

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