Fighting back against brain rot 🧠

Oxford named it the word of the year. Is it inevitable?

If your screen time is in a horrifying high zone on the reg, you’re in a safe place.

I think in viral TikTok sounds, express my care and affection through a curated selection of memes and videos, and have a ridiculous amount of screenshots in my library of things I’ve come across that I will probably never look at again.

I’m not proud of my screen time, and while some of it can be attributed to working in social media, a lot of it can’t.

It wouldn’t be such a big deal if it was an occasional thing, but when you think about it, how many hours which turn into days which turn into years are we wasting scrolling our lives away, chasing a temporary and ultimately unfulfilling boost?

Every year Oxford names a word of the year, and after thousands of votes and language analysis, it selected “brain rot” — which it defines as “supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.”

We joke all the time about having brain rot from social media — per Oxford, usage of the term increased 230% from 2023-2024 — but while our collective understanding of the cons of being so attached to our phones has increased (think: anxiety, reduced attention span, increased feelings of inadequacy, and sleep disruption), there’s far less info and support for actionable and realistic ways to establish healthier relationships with our phones. Are our mental and intellectual states something we’re willing to give up in exchange for a fleeting dopamine release?

I don’t think brain rot is inevitable, but I do think it’s extremely difficult to not be super glued to our phones. If the Oxford word of the year is making you question how you can be more intentional with your phone usage without reverting to a flip phone, you’re in good company.

Let’s get rid of the shame and judgement

First of all, let’s stop blaming ourselves — cuz not only is that not productive, but your phone reliance is not your fault. If your phone feels addicting, that’s because it was designed to be. And given how smart phones are so solidified into every day living (i.e. using Maps to get to your destination or Google to get a quick answer to a question), it’s no wonder that when your phone’s not in your hand or in direct purview, it feels like something’s missing.

Additionally, many of us don’t have the time to truly rest and unwind. You come home after a long day at work or school and you just want to unwind, and what’s there for you? Your good friends TikTok, Instagram, X, etc. Understandably, we look to these platforms to soothe and stimulate us.

We’ve not been given permission to just be. It might feel uncomfortable for a lot of us to just sit — especially if that means sitting with uncomfortable feelings like boredom, malaise, loneliness, and burnout.

Social media ropes us in and offers a false sense of comfort, or at the very least, a distraction from what we might be struggling with.

And of course, let’s not forget that there are actual benefits to using social media. Social media can genuinely connect us — it can help us stay in touch with long distance friends and build community. For disabled communities and communities who’ve not seen themselves represented in traditional media in particular, social media platforms can be a valuable tool to connect with others who share similar experiences, organize, and access information about the issues that are important to them.

We can also learn A LOT from other people on social media. Aspirational and educational content can expose us to ideas we otherwise wouldn’t have known about. One of the things that initially excited me about social media as a former reporter was its ability to democratize access to information.

So how can we reap the benefits without feeling like our lives are being overtaken by our devices?

It’s time for a timeout

Look, there’s no way around it. If you want to spend less time on your phone, you have to set some digital boundaries. This includes adding time restrictions for certain apps. Today’s my second day with a restriction on TikTok and I have to say: getting a message like this actually helped. Do I need to spend more than an hour on the app daily? No, I don’t.

I’ve have my phone set to Do Not Disturb on weekdays starting at 10:30 for years now, but that’s not always a big enough deterrent for me not to scroll while in bed. Having the restriction is a reminder amidst unintentional scrolling of how I’m using my time (and no, those videos from TikTok itself asking me if I was staying up weren’t enough either). Hopefully with repeated use of app restrictions we’ll be able to fall out of the habit of unhealthy digital practices and still get that itch scratched.

Replace phone time with other things that matter to you

You can’t take something away without replacing it. Fill the time you usually spend scrolling with doing something else that matters more to you, like spending time with the people you care about or reading. When you’re in line, try listening to a podcast or audio book instead of scrolling to give yourself a break from the motion of swiping. Give yourself things to look forward to so you don’t feel like you’re missing out and find projects and activities that inspire you and allow for the possibility of you becoming fully immersed in them.

Replace scrolling with physical alternatives

Whenever possible, have a physical book or activity on you that you can do, i.e. knitting (you can’t scroll and knit at the same time, right?) so your hands are busy. Journal with a pen and paper instead of using your Notes app.

Seek out digital-free spaces

Go to a workout class or a cafe that doesn’t allow you to be on your phone. Having these stretches of time where you’re forced to be phone-free and truly present is absolutely necessary. It’ll allow you to focus on what’s right in front of you. It may feel uncomfortable at first but people have done it (i.e. literally everyone who lived before smart phones).

Additionally, try creating phone-free spaces in your own home. Maybe phone use if off-limits in certain areas during specific times, like wherever you do your work.

Have accountability partners

If you’re trying to minimize screen time, don’t go at it alone. Ask friends if they’ll also commit to decreasing time spent on phones, especially when you’re hanging out together.

Organize your digital space

Move your most-used apps off the home screen or into folders to make accessing them less automatic. Out of sight, out of mind. You can also try using a grayscale screen to make your phone less visually appealing.

Turn notifications off

On certain apps, you can choose to only receive notifications at specific times or to turn notifications off completely, which could help decrease the number of times you pick up your phone throughout the day.

Be patient with yourself

Your phone use is a deeply ingrained habit, one that will take time and intentionality to change. If you’re struggling to curb screen time, check in with yourself. What are you hoping phone use will do for you? Is it actually doing that or is it making you feel crummy? Maybe you’re looking to your phone to take the edge off at the end of a stressful day - is there something else you can replace that screen time with that might be more of a reliable way of lifting your mood?

Remember that you don’t have to perfect. It’s not about abandoning your phone altogether; it’s about modulating your use of it so you can be present for your life.