A strategy to cut down on doomscrolling

📱 Today’s tip: Instead of trying to quit doomscrolling, replace it with another ritual.

The key to quitting any bad habit isn’t to attempt a cold-turkey clean break; it’s to find somewhere else to redirect your energy. Nervous cuticle-chewer? Try keeping gum on hand. Shop online when you’re stressed? Grab a book when you feel the urge to browse. As Kate Morgan points out on Elemental, the same applies to 2020’s most ubiquitous bad habit: doomscrolling.

“The more you monitor your consumption and cut down on the time spent reading or watching, the easier it becomes to break out of the bad news/anxiety cycle,” Morgan writes. Instead, spend that time “finding sources of entertainment and distraction that let you check out — at least briefly — from current events,” like a movie, a walk outside, or a call with someone you love.

📚 More from Forge on taking a news break:

An Easy 3-Step System for Reclaiming Your Time From the News Cycle
Read more >>

How to Stop Looking at Coronavirus News for Like Five Minutes
Read more >>

There Are Better Options Than Netflix and Scrolling the News
Read more >>

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