Unshackle Yourself from Mindless Scrolling.

Have you ever gotten onto either YouTube, Facebook, or just looked something up on Google just to end up going down the rabbit hole of consuming random content ? Content that you weren't even interested in, but a random thumbnail, ad, or catchy caption made you go "Oooh, shiny!".

For me at least, that half an hour gone in what seemed like two minutes is one of my bad habits that I'm most ashamed of. Picture this : your phone has a rather annoying problem that you just can't seem to figure out, so you go onto YouTube to hopefully find the right tutorial for the job. You do, but then, suddenly, a promising looking video pops up in the "Similar" section, underneath your current video. And you crave this dopamine rush for 4 more videos. Already an hour gone.

After watching halfway through the "one more video", an ad pops up, which reminds you that you had that other thing to look into. Hop on Google, then you get lost in forums full of people talking out of their asses. I think you get the point.

Now, you might cope and say that you never do that, that you're not that guy... Please reconsider. This is not just about the internet, but the fact that we can't even focus properly on the task at hand anymore. When was the last time you'd completed your work without your mind wandering at least once ? The last workout when you were laser focused on getting a certain number of reps on the next set, and not how weird some random dude's shoes look? See what I mean?

In today's day and age, focus is a literal superpower. The work most people put in is not even half-assed anymore... It's quarter-assed. They will implement bullshit strategies like the Pomodoro Technique (a time management method based on 25-minute stretches of focused work broken by five-minute breaks), then call a liar the one who works for 4 hours uninterruptedly. Surprise! Focus can be trained, just like a muscle. Progressive overload, bro!

So, I've been rambling about how scarce focus is these days and how the internet makes it progressively worse and now you're probably waiting for the quick fix. The problem with it is that in order for it to be effective, it can't be instant.

What you want to start with is meditation. This is purely a breathing practice, nothing spiritual (if you don't make it out to be). But bear with me; meditation, if done right, will translate into your daily interactions by increasing your likelihood of actually thinking (once, if not twice) before you perform an action. Which, you've guessed it, will rid you of most drawbacks in terms of bad habits and poorly taken decisions and also give you a better sense of responsibility and accountability.

How do you go about actually meditating then ? Simply go into a quiet room, put your phone on either silent or do not disturb, and set a timer for 1 minute. Then seat yourself either on the floor or on a bed with your legs crossed, arms relaxed, and back straight. Have a relaxed, but alert stance. Now for the fun part : close your eyes and start breathing fully (through your nose, preferably). Do your best to concentrate on each inhalation and each exhalation. On the rise and fall of your belly and chest, and the flow of air entering and leaving your airway. That's it.

What's the catch ? The catch is to focus for as long as possible on your breath, without getting random thoughts like "hmm I wonder how much time has passed, I need to check my phone" or "if someone walks in right now, that will be embarrassing. I should stop". Don't become frustrated if you become distracted : simply refocus on the breath and keep going till the timer rings.

As I said earlier, start with one minute, but as you progress, you'll obviously have to keep adding more time. Aiming for 20-25 minutes a day is a fair amount, either in one session or split into two.

One more thing that will help you is a free app called Medito. It's a guided meditation app, meaning that it has audio recordings of a person literally telling you what to do. Available for both iOS and Android, the app is a non-profit run 100% by volunteers, so no, I'm not selling you anything.

To conclude, I'm well aware that this article has strayed far from the main point, but hey, would you prefer aimlessly talking about a problem, or actually solving it ?

Also, for the ones who are disappointed in the lack of a quick fix : delete your damn social media. People were able to live without them just 30 years ago. Are we such special snowflakes that we can't quit these addictions ?