I’m writing this post because after I got my new iPhone, I struggled to stop doomscrolling.
It’s taken me months to break the habit but I’ve done it!
I genuinely thought I was “relaxing” when I scrolled.
I would finish my work, collapse onto the couch, open TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, or whatever app had my attention that month, and tell myself I deserved a break.
Ten minutes turned into forty-five. Forty-five minutes turned into two hours. Before I knew it, it would be midnight, my eyes were dry, my neck hurt, and somehow I felt more exhausted than when I first picked up my phone.
The worst part is you’re just… consuming.
One sad news story turns into a skincare video, which turns into someone redecorating their kitchen, which turns into relationship drama between strangers you’ll never meet.
Meanwhile, your tea has gone cold, the book you said you’d read is sitting untouched on your nightstand, and that hobby you swore you’d start “next weekend” keeps getting pushed back.
My piano gathered dust and every morning I’d swear I’d ply it.
I don’t think phones are evil. Because, I’ve discovered amazing recipes online, connected with people I never would’ve met otherwise, and built businesses through the internet. Social media isn’t all bad.
But I do think many of us, especially women in our 20s and 30s, are carrying so much stress that our phones have quietly become our escape hatch.
We’re overwhelmed from work. We have families to think about. Relationships. Bills. Laundry. Friendships that need maintaining. The pressure to look put together. The feeling that we’re somehow behind compared to everyone else online.
So we scroll because it feels easier than sitting with our thoughts.
The problem is that doomscrolling rarely leaves us feeling refreshed. Most of the time it leaves us anxious, distracted, overstimulated, and strangely disconnected from our actual lives.
You just need to make your real life a little more appealing than your screen.
These are the habits that helped me scroll less, feel more present, and actually enjoy my evenings again.
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1. Stop Trying To Quit Cold Turkey
I’ve seen people do this with every habit they want to quit.
They’ll get irritated so they delete every app, last approximately 36 hours, and reinstall everything by the weekend.
Instead, aim for reduction rather than perfection.
Maybe you usually spend three hours scrolling before bed. Try reducing that to two and a half. Then two. Then one.
Tiny changes stick because they don’t feel like punishment.
I do this even with habit building – if I want to aim for 20K steps a day, I take my usual steps and try to do 2K more.
2. Figure Out What You’re Actually Looking For
Sometimes we’re not scrolling because we’re bored.
Sometimes we’re:
- Lonely.
- Overwhelmed.
- Avoiding a task.
- Looking for comfort.
- Trying not to think.
- Seeking inspiration.
- Craving connection.
The next time you automatically open an app, pause and ask yourself, “What do I actually need right now?”
Maybe you just want to lie down and not do anything, do that! Become bored.
You might realize you need a snack, a shower, a walk, or a phone call with a friend instead.
3. Make Your Phone Slightly More Annoying To Use
This sounds silly, but it works.
One of my friends makes his entire display only black and white so it’s boring to look at.
Move social media apps off your home screen. Log out occasionally. Turn your phone grayscale. Remove notifications that aren’t essential.
You don’t want to rely entirely on willpower because honestly, most of us don’t have endless amounts of it.
Make doomscrolling less convenient.
4. Create A “Bored Basket”
This changed everything for me.
Fill a basket with things you can reach for instead of your phone:
- A coloring book.
- Crossword puzzles.
- Journals and nice pens (this is my favorite)
- Crochet supplies.
- A deck of cards.
- Recipe books.
- A novel you’ve been meaning to read.
When boredom hits, your brain sees alternatives immediately.
Know that the dopamine reward is slower with these activities, but it makes you feel more fulfilled.
5. Keep Books In Places You Normally Scroll
I started leaving books in the places I usually doomscrolled.
So, I do keep books in my bathroom and on my night-stand.
But I also keep books on my phone, I have a Kindle membership.
You don’t need to finish an entire chapter. Reading two pages is still better than thirty minutes of mindless scrolling that you’ll barely remember tomorrow.
6. Replace Your Nighttime Scroll With A Ritual
Evenings are dangerous.
That’s when most people accidentally lose hours online.
Create a little ritual instead:
- Wash your face.
- Put on comfy pajamas.
- Make tea.
- Read.
- Journal.
- Stretch.
- Listen to calming music.
Just do anything that helps you relax – minus the phone.
7. Romanticize Real Life Again
Doomscrolling thrives when real life feels dull.
Start noticing small moments:
- The smell of fresh coffee.
- Rain against the windows.
- Clean sheets.
- Grocery shopping with your favorite playlist.
- Lighting a candle while making dinner.
Tiny pleasures add up.
I for instance love watching birds. For some reason, I can look at animals all day. I do that when I sit on my balcony. I watch birds or cats or dogs playing.
Your actual life becomes more interesting when you start paying attention to it.
8. Stop Using Your Phone During Every Tiny Pause
Waiting in line?
Phone.
Waiting for water to boil?
Phone.
Five minutes before leaving?
Phone.
We don’t give our brains room to breathe anymore.
Challenge yourself to simply exist in those small in-between moments. I even commute without doing anything – I let my mind wander, I’ll think of my friends whom I love, I’ll make a gratitude list in my head or I’ll just look at people.
Notice your surroundings.
People-watch.
Let your thoughts wander.
Boredom isn’t an emergency.
9. Find Offline Hobbies That Feel Easy
Please don’t choose hobbies that feel like homework.
You don’t have to suddenly become a marathon runner or learn advanced embroidery.
Start small:
- Baking cookies.
- Watercolor painting (I got a small book, a watercolor pen and a tiny palette that I carry with me, it’s so much fun!)
- Reading novels.
- Gardening.
- Building LEGO sets.
- Journaling.
The easier it feels, the more likely you’ll actually do it.
10. Charge Your Phone Outside The Bedroom
I resisted this one for ages.
Then I realized most of my doomscrolling happened while lying in bed.
Using an actual alarm clock instead made a huge difference.
My mornings felt calmer.
My evenings ended earlier.
I slept better too.
Affiliate Pick: Sunrise Alarm Clock
11. Curate Your Feed Ruthlessly
Not everything deserves your attention.
Unfollow accounts that leave you feeling:
- Inadequate.
- Angry.
- Stressed.
- Like you’re failing at life.
Fill your feed with people who inspire you, educate you, or genuinely make you smile.
Protect your peace.
12. Make Plans You Actually Look Forward To
The less exciting your real life feels, the more tempting your phone becomes.
Schedule little joys:
- Coffee dates.
- Library visits.
- Farmers markets.
- Solo movie nights.
- Bookstore trips.
- Long walks with podcasts.
When you have things to anticipate, scrolling loses some of its appeal.
13. Give Yourself Grace
You are living through a time where billions of dollars are being spent trying to keep your attention.
These apps were literally designed to make you stay.
So if you catch yourself scrolling for an hour when you meant to scroll for ten minutes, please don’t spiral into guilt.
Notice it.
Close the app.
Try again tomorrow.
Breaking a doomscrolling habit isn’t about becoming perfect.
It’s about slowly choosing your own life more often than not.
Final Thoughts
I don’t think the goal is to become someone who never touches their phone.
I think the goal is to build a life that feels rich enough that you don’t want to miss it.
A life filled with conversations, hobbies, books, laughter, good meals, tiny rituals, and people you love.
Your phone will still be there.
The memes will still exist.
The news cycle will continue.
The videos will keep coming.
But the sunset happening outside your window right now?
Your dog waiting for you to throw the ball?
The book you’ve been excited to read?
The people sitting across from you at dinner?
Those moments don’t repeat themselves.
And they deserve your attention too.
