Ever since, I deleted InstaGratification and Tik Toxic, I’ve noticed (finally) that my doomscrolling on those apps has been replaced with the following:
opening 500 tabs of long form videos and reading the comments to find out what the video talks about. Most of these videos are things to do with self-help, which I am exhausted learning about from information overload. It’s like watching how to stop procrastinating videos and inadvertently using them to procrastinate. Trying to find out how I can do the work on myself is stopping me from actually doing the work.
compulsively googling every thought I have. This has lead me back to the other place, because a Redditor from seven years ago has had the exact same experience as I’m having. I think it’s doing more harm than good though, and am thinking of avoiding Reddit altogether. I played my keyboard and ukulele for a bit, even though I have next to no dexterity, and I felt way more at peace doing that than actually trying to reassure myself that I’m going to be better by reading advice on how to be better.
The people in my life use junk content on social media to switch off, but my brain has been switched off for so long. It’s time to get into the real world. Maybe one day I’ll be able to be indoctrinated into Big Social Media again, and use it in a healthy way. Not today. Not tomorrow. Or the next day.
Here is what I have learnt about “self help” videos. If I have a read an academic book on the topic then I can pretty much guarantee I know better than the twit giving us their opinion.
99% are crap or worse than crap, many are actually harmful.
Just watch videos by famous and respected peer reviewed doctors, but these videos are far and few between.
I do watch some how to videos. Like how to do upholstery, etc.
Social media content is purposefully designed to keep users on there for as long as possible. Because more data collected, more advertising presented, more $ for the owners. It’s designed to keep you watching and not realise the time passing. Most people don’t even realise it’s messing with them, so you are already winning just from that.
Ever since, I deleted InstaGratification and Tik Toxic, I’ve noticed (finally) that my doomscrolling on those apps has been replaced with the following:
opening 500 tabs of long form videos and reading the comments to find out what the video talks about. Most of these videos are things to do with self-help, which I am exhausted learning about from information overload. It’s like watching how to stop procrastinating videos and inadvertently using them to procrastinate. Trying to find out how I can do the work on myself is stopping me from actually doing the work.
compulsively googling every thought I have. This has lead me back to the other place, because a Redditor from seven years ago has had the exact same experience as I’m having. I think it’s doing more harm than good though, and am thinking of avoiding Reddit altogether. I played my keyboard and ukulele for a bit, even though I have next to no dexterity, and I felt way more at peace doing that than actually trying to reassure myself that I’m going to be better by reading advice on how to be better.
The people in my life use junk content on social media to switch off, but my brain has been switched off for so long. It’s time to get into the real world. Maybe one day I’ll be able to be indoctrinated into Big Social Media again, and use it in a healthy way. Not today. Not tomorrow. Or the next day.
Here is what I have learnt about “self help” videos. If I have a read an academic book on the topic then I can pretty much guarantee I know better than the twit giving us their opinion.
99% are crap or worse than crap, many are actually harmful.
Just watch videos by famous and respected peer reviewed doctors, but these videos are far and few between.
I do watch some how to videos. Like how to do upholstery, etc.
so hugs and just keeping doing real stuff. :)
Social media content is purposefully designed to keep users on there for as long as possible. Because more data collected, more advertising presented, more $ for the owners. It’s designed to keep you watching and not realise the time passing. Most people don’t even realise it’s messing with them, so you are already winning just from that.