Just like any other day I opened Instagram before bed to just scroll for 15 mins. And you know how the story ends. 2 hours later I’ve learnt that my neighbor’s dog has arteritis, the rank holder of my school is now on a solo trip to Bali and that if I don’t skill up a robot might take my job. Right in front of me my tomorrow’s to-do list is looking at me like it’s on its last bit of hope.
Doom scrolling has rewired our brains, our attention span can now be compared to that one of a baby. It’s no more “you are what you eat” , we have an upgraded version now and its- “you are what you consume mentally“.
Why Attention Is the New Currency
Once upon a time in 2015, Microsoft announced that the average human attention span was shorter than that of a goldfish and was down to 8 seconds. Ouch. Still, you could say, “Hey, perhaps goldfish have better PR.” But the fact is our brains are constantly invaded. Notifications, reels, breaking news, and the never-ending doom scrolling are so distracting that concentrating is as difficult as parallel parking on a crowded street.
The most terrifying thing? Your brain actually changes its structure to match what you supply it. Psychologists name this neuroplasticity. Throw disorder at it, and disorder will become your norm. Throw concentration at it, and you will become the meditation master of the spreadsheet world in no time.
My Personal Crash with “Junk Food Media”
While locked down in the pandemic period I became an addict to what I referred to as “Twitter fast food.” Hot takes, viral memes, conspiracy theories to name but a few of the distractions that caught my appetite. However, after a short time, I realized that I was less productive, more anxious, and annoyed. Moreover, to make things worse, I found myself thinking in tweet-length sentences. Try doing that, and I bet your boss will not be impressed.
Then I made a small change. My morning Twitter scroll was replaced by reading real books. Surprisingly, I managed to accomplish more work for two hours than I used to for a whole day.
How You Can Improve Your Focus- Step by Step
Similar to any diet, the attention diet is not just about starving yourself but it is more about making better and wiser choices. Here is how to get started:
- Audit Your Inputs: Just do it for a day, write what news you read, what social media you checked, what you talked with people and what you listened to (even if it is a podcast). In case it is a source of exhaustion that is not adding your value, consider cutting it down.
- Upgrade Your Feed: In the same way, you replaced chips with fruits; replace your feed from click bait to content that nourishes you. Follow the creators who inspire you; subscribe to the newsletters that teach you and, yes, allow yourself some memes but in moderation.
- Guard Your Morning & Evening: Instead of doom scrolling, do reading, journaling or even silence. A good night rest is the same for sleep. Your brain doesn’t need to be informed about the stock market crashing at 11 p.m.
- Choose People Like You Choose Food: The negative is like a virus spread through the food chain of your brain, the energy of one negative person is almost the same as consuming bad street food. Energy is contagious. Let the friends who challenge and uplift you constantly be around you. Limit your time with the people who make you feel drained.
- Schedule the Junk: Let’s face it- you are not quitting Instagram right after reading this article. Instead, plan your “junk food” attention intervals. Perhaps 15 minutes in the evening. Here’s what I do- I install Instagram every weekend and set a timer for 30 mins to just scroll without guilt. This way, you get your fix without it taking over your whole day.
Why These Steps Matter
If you don’t take action, you’ll be stuck in the loop where you’re not paying attention to anything. Working on auto pilot and unhappy. Short term dopamine is not worth it. You have to protect your focus to shape who you want to be become. You can start doing one step everyday and you’ll be so focused and clear headed in no time.
So the next time you reach for your phone, ask yourself: Is this mental junk food, or a healthy snack for my brain?
