Doomscrolling, the compulsive and semi-addictive consumption of negative news and social media content, is robbing workers of productivity – and Gen Z is leading the charge to regain online focus. Social media platforms, like TikTok, Instagram and X are designed to exploit our natural “negativity bias”, and creating addictive feedback loops. The end result? Doomscrolling can create irritability, a sense of polarization, lower productivity and time-sucking distraction. In rebuttal to the outrage economy, where snark, fear and FOMO dominate the social media landscape, Gen Z is taking action and leading the way towards a more sane approach to the world of social media. Turns out that disengagement from doomscrolling is helping people to break from anxiety and discover greater resilience.
The Stolen Productivity of Doomscrolling
In the U.K., a survey of Gen Z and Gen Alpha discovered that nearly 50% of people polled would prefer growing up without the internet, with a large portion welcoming a social media curfew. The Offline Club of Instagram has over 500,000 followers – kind of ironic that a club promoting a break from social media lives on (wait for it) social media. “Swap screen time for real time,” is the mantra for the club’s members, inviting folks to “unplug, connect, relax and have fun”. Is that your emotional experience when doomscrolling? (Me either). Have you ever experienced the desire to just “check out” for a minute, scrolling on the flashlight that brings the bad news in a moment of boredom? (Guilty). Then, two hours later, you realize that you still aren’t finished the internet – and the timehole of doomscrolling has stolen hours from your day?
According to the National Institute of Health, social media operates on a variable-ratio schedule, much like a slot machine. It’s human nature to seek rewards, and the search for new discoveries – such as a like, a comment, a new follower or a humorous meme – leverages our nature into a never-ending search for more rewards, more likes, more memes. It’s a straight-up recipe for less productivity, stolen focus, disconnection and avoidance of human conversation. Have you ever fallen into the misunderstanding that likes are the equivalent of social status? Popularity and wisdom are two very different things. The constant bombardment of negative news and polarized opinions can lead to a distorted view of the world, making users believe that humanity is more hostile or divided than it truly is. This contributes to increased anxiety, cynicism, and even hopelessness. How’s that emotional smorgasbord helping you to perform better at work, be more present for the relationships you care about, and access your best self?
Well-Being and the World of Social Media: Gen Z Weighs In
Algorithms prioritize engagement, not well-being, according to Pew Research. What keeps us hooked doesn’t necessarily feed our souls, and distraction is the enemy of creativity. Content that keeps you scrolling isn’t necessarily content that provides useful information or, quite frankly (checks Instagram to confirm suspicions) anything that’s real. Information overload reduces our attention span, makes focusing difficult and causes lost productivity at work. Gen Z is awakening to the ruse, and the illusion of connection, and new movements are stepping away from the scroll in an effort to rediscover what really matters.
Here are three ways that Gen Z is backing away from doomscrolling and the pitfalls of social media over-use:
- Embracing “Friction”: researchers at the University of Michigan have suggested that making phones slightly more difficult and annoying to use can help us to access our own cognitive skills. When you have to think before you scroll, the result is a 16% reduction in screen time. The Freedom app boasts over two million users worldwide, and its cross-platform features can block apps and websites that you find distracting. Moment is an app that helps you to literally pick up your phone less often. And ZenScreen helps to regulate on again/off again screen time. For example, if you spend 10 minutes online, the app forces you to spend 20 minutes without looking at your phone. Setting online time limits, with or without apps, can be a great first step in minimizing lost time and distraction.
- Digital Minimalism and Dumb Phones: Chris Kaspar is the founder of Techless, a company with a $399 simple smartphone that reportedly “leads people to live fully with healthy technology.” The company’s Wisephone has no icons, just words, two colors, and two fonts. “We’re asking this question—what’s actually good for us?” Kaspar said, reflecting on the phone’s design aesthetic. Accessing dumb phones, as opposed to smart ones, isn’t just a vintage quest for 90s nostalgia. It’s an important journey for Gen Z, and perhaps for every generation, to escape the negative effects of doomscrolling.
- Prioritizing Mental Health, Authenticity and Connection: the Center for Generational Kinetics found that 84% of Gen Z respondents believe that there is a mental health crisis in America. Indeed, TIME Magazine published an article under the headline, Instagram Is Doing Grave Harm to Our Generation. We Need to Help Stop It. The theme here seems to be one of balance. A pause can be the first step towards greater well-being, asking yourself to see doomscrolling in a new way – perhaps a more realistic one? – as not as innocent or innocuous as you might think. Gen Z is actively seeking alternatives that point towards real-world activities. “Scroll less, live more” is the mantra.
Digital Boundaries: Productivity Versus Doomscrolling
What are your digital boundaries? When you are interrupted, it takes over 23 minutes to regain your train of thought, according to scientific studies. This “resumption lag” has been well-documented. While emails and Slack alerts can cause these kinds of breaks, what happens when we create self-inflicted wounds to our productivity, via doomscrolling? Task-switching can cause significant loss in productivity – but sometimes, it’s just part of the job. Managing distraction is an important aspect of time management – and deciding what you let in to your productive time. Are you seeking escape from the daily grind, only to find frustration, negativity and impossible AI-generated videos …when what you really need is to stay on task? You are not alone!
Digital boundaries are the key to stopping the doomscrolling, and limiting the negative impact of social media. While the web can provide quite literally a world of information, as well as insights offered up by AI, it can also provide you with a mental cesspool of fake images, negative narratives and polarizing posts. What do you want to include in your life, your work, and your career? Balance, and boundaries, can keep you focused in your career. What do you want to allow into your life? Gen Z is taking steps to regain a stolen focus, and replace doomscrolling with a mindful and deliberate return to greater connection.
