Online distraction is a modern malaise--the biggest distractions my parents probably had to deal with were (physically) chatting with friends, reading the newspaper/ books, or the movies.
All of those were easy to switch off. You only had to stop talking and shut yourself within a room.
Online distractions are insidious because they follow you into that room. They’re designed to tie you down–all social media platforms spend billions of dollars on research to ensure you keep scrolling. They never sign you out, and they reward you with dopamine hits to keep you hooked. In the world of free online platforms, your attention (online distraction) is the product being sold to advertisers.
Our brains haven’t evolved to fight this. Online addiction is real.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve found myself mindlessly scrolling when I’m stressed out or tired. Online distraction gives me an endless variety of input. It feeds me topics that relax me (books and recipes) and makes me ‘feel productive’ because I’m ‘learning’.
The escape chute provided to shy introverts like me becomes a trap of online distraction, because I’ve occasionally found myself scrolling when I should be writing. Time seems to shorten and disappear. A few times I’ve lost an entire day because I’ve been compulsively following a piece of news and discussing it on social media. Since ‘engagement’ is a big factor, it’s easy to tell myself that I’m ‘engaging’ with my ‘followers.’
Truth is, those on social media are called ‘users’ for a reason. It can become an addiction quite quickly if you’re not careful.
Here’s what goes on in my case:
1. My attention span is affected when I’m scrolling on social media, usually Instagram or Threads. I find I can’t focus on the written page (while reading or writing) for very long before wanting to do something else.
2. Each time I tell myself I’ll give myself a ‘scrolling break’ , it takes longer to refocus. A five-minute break might lead to a half-hour effort to get back on track.
3. Once I lose time to scrolling, I feel guilty and stressed out, because of lost time, work not done, and to-do lists growing longer. I scroll more often to avoid the to-do list, which make me guiltier and more stressed out, and on goes the vicious cycle.
Here’s what helps me when I find myself giving in to online distraction:
A. Log off all social media on my phone, and keep it outside the room where I’m working: this is non-negotiable. I have separate ringtones for family and they know to reach me by calling if I don’t respond to an urgent text.
B. Do one task at a time. I’ve found that trying to blog, respond to social media comments and write at the same time can be quite tempting and feel productive, but actually isn’t. When I’m writing, I write and when blogging, I blog. Finishing one task gets it done faster–in my case, multi-tasking is a myth.
C. Limited engagement helps. I’m mostly offline these days due to life reasons, but when I am online, I set an alarm for how long I can scroll. I begin by making a post, then visit those I regularly interact with, and then scroll a little. I stop when time’s up, or I’ll be there for hours.
D. Going granular on my to-do lists is another hack. Updating the blog becomes: Do the research (if needed). Write the post. Do the search engine optimization. Find the graphic. Read the post for errors. Schedule the post. This way, the big load becomes bite-sized tasks.
E. If I need breaks between these bite-sized tasks, I usually go do a stretch, or walk a little, or load the laundry, or cook things on a timer. My distraction-addicted brain does better with physical breaks, not online ones.
F. This isn’t fool-proof, so I do end up scrolling during my breaks, and–you guessed it–lose time with online distractions. At such times, I give myself grace. I put the phone aside (or switch it off if I can afford it). I do a quick breathing meditation to refocus and start again.
I see online distraction as the enemy: we’re no longer browsing the internet when needed. We’re compulsively consuming it. Real life (and reading/ writing) is outside this tempting online labyrinth.
Social media behemoths are fighting for our attention, and we must fight not to gift it to them. After all, we’re as good as the quality of our attention. What we choose to focus on determines who we become. I refuse to let social media platforms hijack my right to choose where I should focus my attention.
What about you? Does online distraction ever become a problem for you? How do you deal with it?
My literary crime novels, The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon are on Kindle Unlimited now. Add to Goodreads or snag a copy to make my day ! And if you’d like to read a book outside the series, you can check out You Beneath Your Skin. Find all info about my books on my Amazon page or Linktree.
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Oh yes, it’s difficult to escape the vast web that social media has cast and stay focused on our tasks.
I only have Instagram on my phone, and even that is without notifications—it helps. But then there are YouTube videos and countless other online distractions constantly vying for my attention.
Getting work done is a struggle, to put it mildly!
Hi Damyanti – I’m quite lucky … but I’m not writing books – and so if I wander off occasionally it’s not essential. Also I really don’t do social media – so I get off the bandwagon … but can understand the challenge – all the best as 2025 progresses – cheers Hilary
music is my salvation
Whoever came up with the idea of a smart phone! Wonder what they were thinking.
Yes, online distraction is a problem. I too scroll through the IG feed when I am stressed or bored. But I use the timer (Digital wellbeing feature in settings) and give myself only 10 minutes on IG and FB. I deleted my X account and also an additional IG handle. And I did not install Threads. So now there is only one IG handle and FB. And thankfully, FB is a boring place now, unlike earlier, so I am on FB for a few minutes only, watching dog and cat videos. I do spend some time on Pinterest, looking for references for my artworks, and in doing so, I tend to get carried away. So, sometimes I check myself before I lose my mind and my time on the platform. Reading books is helping me forget the phone. And if I chance upon a really good book, then I don’t even realise I have a phone!
I do feel like buying a dumb phone sometimes. That will save my time and reduce eye strain, too.
The timer is so helpful. It gives me a sense of accountability — and guilt, if I fail to abide by the time limit I set for myself. I have to admit, dog and cat videos are part of the addiction. Books are a great alternative to social media. My mind always feels enriched, rather than drained and defeated, after reading a good book. Writing is another of my coping mechanisms. As long as I manage to get into the flow of writing, I tend to forget everything else around me (which isn’t always a good thing, but at least it helps to stop me from scrolling). A dumb phone would definitely solve the issue. I don’t think I’m ready to give up all the conveniences of my smart phone, though!
Books are one of the best coping mechanisms ! Which reminds me, when is your new book getting released? That will definitely help me forget not just my phone, but also the world! <3
“We’re no longer browsing the internet when needed. We’re compulsively consuming it.” This is the bane of our lives, Damyanti. It is scary when you know that you’re not just dealing with your own will power but it’s all a part of a larger scheme to lure you into something that you clearly do not need. The 24/7 pull of the internet has altered our lives in an irrevocable way. I feel for the kids and the teenagers who will never know what life looks like without the screens!!
You’re so right. It’s alarming to think that there’s a whole generation who may never experience the joy of making up their own entertainment from the creativity of their imaginations, or spending time in nature to counter boredom, or scraping their knees climbing trees and dirtying their fingernails building mud sculptures. Irrevocable change is the scary truth of our reality.
Oh! This distraction is like a sneaky mosquito. Always waiting to bite! I too use similar strategies like you but my writung has suffered. Hooe you are working on your next book and doing well.
The perfect way of describing it! And just when you think you’ve gotten rid of it, it appears out of nowhere and buzzes right in your ear. I hope you manage to find a way which works for you. Thank you for the kind words!
I am also realising how hard it has become for me to focus on the task at hand. It doesn’t help that I have a hundred things to do but the ability to put everything on hold and focusing on the task at hand has become difficult. I pick up the phone to look up something and without even realising it I find myself scrolling! I love the idea of breaking up tasks into bite sized pieces. That should help.
I’m so glad you found something that might be useful for you! I hope it does work. It took me so long to try and figure out how to cut through the social media chains, and anything that could be helpful to someone else is worth sharing. But, like you said, with all the other things we have to think of and multitasking we have to do, it’s not surprising that distractions sway our attention more easily.
I try so hard to curb my social interactions, only to be hit by FOMO. For now I have limited myself to only one app. No Twitter, rarely look at Facebook feed. But yeah, it is a humongous task to avoid distractions. I have spent many hours doom scrolling late at night. Not proud of it. I am glad you found ways, I still need to figure out what will work for me.
I know what you mean, FOMO is a powerful side effect. What news have I missed out on, what new books or updates in the writing community? And so many other nagging questions. I haven’t figured it out completely, but any progress is an achievement. It’s an uphill battle, don’t be too harsh on yourself. I hope you manage to find something which helps!
Winter is worse because I can’t always pop outside and do something. It was 7 degrees yesterday and it took everything I had to get the mail! 😂 But physical breaks are better for me too. So, I decided to start a deep-clean, and it’s okay if it takes me a month or so to do because it’s a solid break from work. I’m moving. And organizing which is a zen thing for me!
Good luck! I hope everything goes well, and the break leaves you feeling rested and ready to tackle the rest of the year. Organizing is so therapeutic, I agree! Whenever my workspace is in a mess, it seems to reflect my state of mind. Cleaning up always helps.
I write in the mornings, Damyanti, for all the reasons you cited about social media. In the morning, my brain is fresh for writing. Social media turns my brain to mush so I save it for the end of the day when I’m done writing and just need to chill. I’ve used a timer to limit my housework (versus doing none at all). A timer might work well to limit social media.
I try to do the same. The feeling of waking up to write when the sun hasn’t risen, the birds have just begun to chirp, and the city is still asleep is incredible. It sets the tone for the day, and I find that my productivity gets a major boost when my mornings are spent wisely. Your method of leaving social media to the end of the day is a great tip!
I should take my own advice more often. Lol. Thanks for making me think about this again.
“We’re as good as the quality of our attention.”–oh, this really hits home, Damyanti! Last weekend, I went to an in-person salon (not the hair or nail kind) where we discussed staying human in the age of the machine. Much of our time was devoted to discussing practical tips (turning off distracting push-notifications, only checking email a couple times a day, etc.) but it’s so easy for me to say that social media is harmless fun, when I know better. More humanness and less machine is my new year’s resolution!
Thank you for sharing, Rebecca! The discussion sounds like such an interesting and productive one, and the tips you mentioned are so helpful in combatting online distractions. I can relate — I’ve often excused my endless scrolling by labelling it as mindless entertainment or a means of relaxation. In reality, it couldn’t be less relaxing. I love your new year’s resolution!
“Social media is another form of Plato’s cave.” It’s addictive and the only efficient way out is not engaging with it if possible.
A very good point. I find that even the smallest bit of interaction can lead to more scrolling, so I just try to stay away as much as I can.
Yes, it’s a problem. Sadly, the only real answer is to try to be strong-willed about it.
I agree, it takes both practice and persistence.
Yes, its a continuous struggle. I can be successful with a digital detox some days, but the receptors are well-established and the impulse survives.
The urge to scroll feels almost like a tiny parasite living in the brain and controlling the fingertips. It’s difficult, but I think I’ve managed to quash it a little and regain some control over my mind.
I don’t use my phone much and I get most news from radio, but I find it hard to keep up with email and blogging. Reading everyone’s posts, commenting, and writing my own posts eats up a lot of time. Then there are all those Quora questions, answers, and comments…
I completely understand. It can feel so overwhelming when working to be present both online and offline. I hope you get the time to breathe and take a break.
Great list! I lean with option A no social media on my phone, and in giving myself grace.
Both are so helpful! Even if we fall into the scrolling pattern, being kind to ourselves is always a better option than putting ourselves down.
I’m limiting time on social media as it is a big advertising thing now.
Absolutely, the ads are appearing more and more frequently nowadays. Sometimes I feel like the ratio of ads to posts is almost equal, although that might be a bit of an exaggeration.
They want you to buy ad blockers and that’s why they target. The sinister thing about using the internet is everything you watch or pause on or search for is assessed by AI and you will find ads follow. For example I did some research on Sweden and next day ads for accommodation in Sweden began to pop up. Then I did research on a city in the US and the same thing happened. So nothing you do on the internet is private and we just have to live with it. I just ignore the ads.
I don’t get as caught up in social media anymore but i do find myself scrolling through news feeds. Fortunately, I have no social media on my phone.
Unfortunately, news feeds and social media go hand-in-hand for me, when it comes to the doom scrolling. Although, I think I’ve made some improvement recently. Fingers crossed that I don’t fall back into my old habits!
Thanks Damyanti for this lovely post. Not much distraction, when I’m on WordPress, I concentrate on it, answering comments and reading blog posts.😍
That’s great to hear, Arlene! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
If I have ANY brainpower, I will be writing – and I already have a little program called FREEDOM set up (legacy lifetime version) to block the sites on my computer (I’m not of the phone-scrolling generations) that would let me download into my poor brain large amounts of useless information. Even though I sometimes find useful tidbits on the Washington Post or New York Times online papers, I block them and FB for up to 5 hours at a time – which is longer than I can usually work.
All those cute videos and stories just clog up my brain.
That sounds so useful, thanks for sharing! I might need to get that installed on my computer, too. Too often, my brain feels like a logjam of information, and it takes a few hours of consistent writing or productivity to clear it out.
I feel the same way. It is very easy to get distracted by social networks and other online media, and then it is hard to get back on track, and it does not make you happier. It is very destructive to the grades of kids and so are games. It is both a blessing and a curse, but maybe more of a curse. Like you say this did not exist in the past. I am old enough to remember. It was a lot easier back then to get work done and to study and focus on your classes, etc. We need to develop a new skill that keeps us from picking up the phone just to check social media.
Yes, I miss the days when boredom was associated with inventing new things to do or working with the tools we already had, instead of immediately picking up a device. I remember the joy of running outside to explore, creating my own imaginary worlds and games. Social media undoubtedly has its benefits, but I do agree that it can often feel more like a burden. And, as you said, shorter attention spans and an increase in distractions are potent side effects.
I just spend too much time online. But never mind!
Anything which works best for you!
I don’t play social (antisocial) media. Blogging is it for me. And even that can be a time suck and a distraction. I physically walk away.
I think that’s a great approach. Initially, social media felt like this limitless, exciting, new entity, but being online has become steadily more draining over the years. Cutting down has definitely helped me cope better.
Using the feature to set time limits on apps, such as Instagram, really helps.
Absolutely! I try not to go above 15 minutes and to never choose the “remind me in another 15 minutes” option, or else 15 minutes will turn into a couple of hours.
The best thing I ever did was to get myself kicked off of Facebook. I honestly cannot say what I did to get booted because Facebook refuses to tell me. If I were to think kindly of them, I would think that they realized I had become a scrolling addict and thought it best that they end our relationship. I guess I will just go with that.
But you are right about that addictive nature of wasting time on social media, for now being cast into the wilderness, I find the wilderness a lovely place to be.
Now, if I could just stop daydreaming.
I like your theory, and it certainly does put a positive spin on things. I’ve found that going cold turkey helps so much when trying to get out of the social media rabbit hole. Otherwise, “just a few more minutes” tends to become a few hours, many blank pages, and a developing headache. And I couldn’t agree with you more — the wilderness is wonderful, and one of the best ways to destress.
I was distracted (and doom scrolling) during the election buildup. Now that the doom has happened, I’m not giving the
“pundits” any more of my time.
The term “doom scrolling” is so apt. Wasting hours absorbing negative content, it really does feel like plummeting to almost certain doom. I’m glad you managed to escape, Liz!
Thanks, Damyanti. So am I!
Absolutely agree! 💯
The recent (temporary) shutdown of TikTok exemplifies this very addiction – I think it’s worse than a heroin addiction, having worked as a drug/alcohol counselor.
Like you, I am pulling myself free of scrolling the same old same old …just a lot of narcissistsic bragging, whining, and unwanted ads. I have noticed I spend more time deleting ads on my IG page than reading anything of value.
We’re having a very mild winter this year, so I’m getting outside more. It’s a conscious choice to cut back on filling my brain with useless bits of data.
Thankfully, I still read books; they’re my saving grace from the digital world.
Thanks for the insights.
I’m not on TikTok myself, but I did see a few Instagram reels about the ban, where users and creators were panicking about how the ban might affect their livelihoods and even daily routines. I’m grateful that I’ve never had to depend on social media to make my living, because the fear of said social media platforms and sources of income potentially shutting down can be so crippling. Like you, I’m trying to replace the scrolling with more productive habits. Reading is absolutely a saving grace, and the time I manage to free up by minimizing social media use is infinitely better spent offline.
I’m not as distracted as I used to be. There is not as much worth info!
Great article. I am not as distracted as in the past. There doesn’t seem to be as much worthy info!
I understand what you mean. Despite the internet making knowledge so accessible and new data bombarding us daily from every angle, finding worthy or meaningful information often feels like searching for buried treasure. “Too much of a good thing” might apply here.
The solution starts and ends with a simple question. Am I willing and acting to the highest good, not just for me, but for others? The personalized answer the springs from our hearts and follows a simple flow: thoughts, choices, speech, and actions.
Beautifully said.
Thank you, Damyanti! Tomorrow is pay-it-forward day at Tame Your Book, and for those interested, I’m giving away TYB’s Trellis Method Mini Course plus the free Writing Terms Glossary is now online. I appreciate all that you do!
Losing time scrolling is what happened to me in college. At the same time, I was so overwhelmed that my phone was a coping mechanism. These days, though, social media is just annoying. I only use it when I feel like it, which isn’t often. Mostly to try to promote my blog, honestly. Funny how things change, isn’t it?
Yes, time is a great tool for introspection. I can’t count the numbers of times I’ve thought back to the past and been astounded at how different life is now. It’s good to hear that scrolling is no longer an issue for you. I always find that social media is better taken in small doses.