Stop Scrolling: Preventing the Fall into the Comparison Trap
What begins as a harmless pastime can swiftly transform into a perilous journey into the comparison trap. Today, we explore the downsides of infinite scrolling and emphasize the importance of breaking free from this habit for your mental well-being and productivity.
Social media is a time suck and a gateway into the comparison trap. My daily average for my most used social media app is 2 hours and 11 minutes. Can you guess which app this is? My limit for this app at the start of the year was 2 hours, and I reduced it to 1 hour and 45 minutes last week. However, I am ignoring the limits.
Why do I do this? Why do I scroll and scroll and scroll until I realize that I’ve been scrolling for too long?
It’s a bad habit. It’s a bad habit that I started as a freshman in college 20 years ago. That’s right; 20 years ago, I got onto my first social media app, and I’ve been checking social media almost every day since then. There have been times in between when I stepped away from social media, deleted apps, and even went as far as to delete profiles. However, here I am, 20 years later, still scrolling.
In my defense, social media platforms are designed to keep users engaged. So, even if I logged in to look at or post one photo, page, etc., the platform’s algorithm is set up so that you stay longer and scroll for more extended periods.
What’s the big deal? What are the downsides of scrolling so much?
Excessive scrolling on social media can lead to a decrease in productivity. There are countless times when I avoid doing something by scrolling, or I start scrolling and, in turn, forget that I have other things to accomplish for the day. In the most literal terms, scrolling on social media can be a complete waste of time.
You can fall into the comparison trap. Scrolling on social media has potential adverse side effects, such as a decline in your mental well-being. This is due mainly to you viewing images and videos that place unrealistic standards in your mind. Content on social media can influence you to believe that you should look a certain way, have certain things, and maybe be somewhere in your life timeline that you may not have achieved yet. This is why people are called influencers or content creators. They are creating a lifestyle that is appealing to people.
The title of this blog is stop scrolling, but you don’t have to get rid of your social media accounts entirely. Find a balance in social media usage; figure out what your limits need to be. Before doing that, figure out why you are scrolling so much. Are you avoiding something, looking for something, or has it become a bad habit?
The allure of infinite scrolling on social media comes with hidden costs. By recognizing the downsides and actively limiting this behavior, you can reclaim control over your time, mental health, and self-perception. Start developing a healthier relationship with social media and be more productive with your time.
