Reclaim Your Brain: Why You Should Stop Scrolling and Start Learning

Do you find yourself in an endless mindless doom scrolling cycle?

It’s a curse of the 21st century. We’re all addicted to scrolling and despite the pangs of guilt that hit us when we check our screen time and stresses of time lost, we still struggle to peel ourselves away from our entrancing devices. But why is this?

It’s all to do with dopamine and the recurrent hits of it we get as we scroll through videos and pictures. It becomes a compulsion to feed our brain this happy hormone. But it’s having adverse affects on our health and the way we live our lives. From lower attention spans, and disrupted sleep patterns to poor moods and lack of cognitive development, we’re scrolling our lives away.

Just like a faddy diet we struggle to keep to, it would be unrealistic to completely cut our favourite scrolling apps out of our lives but there are some ways you can reduce your screen time and have a more intentional relationship with your phone — and that’s through learning.

Many of us have disconnected with the power of learning. From learning new languages, hobbies and skills to new subjects and information, learning could be the key to satisfying our brain and ridding ourselves of the post-scroll regrets.

So if you’re not happy with how much time your spending on your phone, think is it the amount of time or the quality of time? Three hours spent e-learning on your phone could be a better use of your time than three hours spent scrolling on social media.

Here’s how to stop scrolling and start learning plus some inspiration…

Learn about yourself

From your body, to your mind and your skin, getting to know yourself better is a great way to spend more time scrolling intentionally. Find out your skin type, research about gut-health and nutrition, or uncover new skincare technologies you can integrate into your routine. This is a great way to start feeding your brain’s thirst for knowledge while also better understanding yourself and improving your overall wellbeing. You might just find your new favourite recipe, a miracle skincare device, or a remedy to a long-term ailment you’ve been putting off addressing.

Learn a language

Being on our phones doesn’t have to have negative connotations. It’s all about being more thoughtful and intentional with the ways we use it so we don’t feel rubbish about our sky-rocketing screen times.

Downloading a language app to help you brush up on your high-school French lessons, learn some local phrases ready for your next trip, or pick up a completely new language that will help you connect with new people is a really great way to expand your horizons and use your phone as a tool to learn rather than a dead-end entertainment resource.

Take an online course

In an increasingly digital world, skills aren’t just something we learn in person, we can use our phones and computers to our advantage and learn about unexplored fields of study and information because learning shouldn't stop after school.

Take a course in digital marketing, website building, or stocks and shares to boost your CV or improve your skillset at work. Browse online courses in flower arranging, embroidery, photography, animation, or writing and uncover a new passion, hobby, or interest you can pursue. Join free online webinars covering a myriad of topics from climate change and geology to politics and psychology — you’ll encounter inspirational speakers, industry experts while networking with people and learning new information.

The online learning world can unlock so many opportunities that we would have never encountered if we’d have chosen to spend our time aimlessly scrolling through social media instead.

Read articles

Hats off to you because you’re reading this one now but whether it be news articles, scholarly research articles, film reviews, topics of interest, or celebrity interviews, reading a few articles every day can help you to reclaim your brain, increase your attention span, and load you up with exciting new knowledge you can share with friends, family, and people you encounter every day.