Delhi | 25°C (windy)

Reclaim your brain: why it’s time to stop scrolling our lives away

  • Nishadil
  • January 01, 2024
  • 0 Comments
  • 19 minutes read
  • 5 Views
Reclaim your brain: why it’s time to stop scrolling our lives away

@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Light.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Light.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Light.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:300;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline LightItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline LightItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline LightItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:300;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Regular.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Regular.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Regular.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:400;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline RegularItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline RegularItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline RegularItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:400;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Medium.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Medium.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Medium.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:500;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline MediumItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline MediumItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline MediumItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:500;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Semibold.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Semibold.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Semibold.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:600;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline SemiboldItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline SemiboldItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline SemiboldItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:600;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Bold.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Bold.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Bold.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:700;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BoldItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BoldItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BoldItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:700;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Black.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Black.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Black.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:900;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BlackItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BlackItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BlackItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:900;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Titlepiece";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GTGuardianTitlepiece Bold.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GTGuardianTitlepiece Bold.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GTGuardianTitlepiece Bold.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:700;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Light.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Light.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Light.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:300;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline LightItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline LightItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline LightItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:300;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Regular.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Regular.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Regular.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:400;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline RegularItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline RegularItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline RegularItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:400;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Medium.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Medium.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Medium.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:500;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline MediumItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline MediumItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline MediumItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:500;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Semibold.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Semibold.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Semibold.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:600;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline SemiboldItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline SemiboldItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline SemiboldItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:600;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Bold.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Bold.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Bold.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:700;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BoldItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BoldItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BoldItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:700;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Black.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Black.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline Black.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:900;font style:normal}@font face{font family:"Guardian Headline Full";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BlackItalic.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BlackItalic.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GHGuardianHeadline BlackItalic.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:900;font style:italic}@font face{font family:"Guardian Titlepiece";src:url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GTGuardianTitlepiece Bold.woff2) format("woff2"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GTGuardianTitlepiece Bold.woff) format("woff"),url(https://interactive.guim.co.uk/fonts/garnett/GTGuardianTitlepiece Bold.ttf) format("truetype");font weight:700;font style:normal}.element atom,.interactive atom{margin:0!important}.content interactive .content__headline,.headline{font size:32px;line height:36px;font family:"Guardian Egyptian Web","Guardian Text Egyptian Web",Georgia,serif;font weight:700}@media (min width:46.25em){.content interactive .content__headline,.headline{font size:34px;line height:38px}}@media (min width:71.25em){.content interactive .content__headline,.headline{font size:44px;line height:48px}}.headline{font family:"Guardian Headline","Guardian Egyptian Web",Georgia,serif;padding top:0}.content__standfirst,.standfirst{font weight:200;line height:24px;font size:18px;margin top:24px;max width:90%}@media (min width:30em){.content__standfirst,.standfirst{max width:80%}}@media (min width:46.25em){.content__standfirst,.standfirst{max width:540px}}@media (min width:61.25em){.content__standfirst,.standfirst{font size:22px;line height:26px}}.content__head,.content__main{position:relative}.content__head:before,.content__main:before{position:absolute;top:0;height:100%;min height:500px;content:" ";border left:1px solid #dfdfdf}@media (min width:71.25em){.content__head:before,.content__main:before{left:calc((100% 1140px)/ 2 + 170px)}}@media (min width:81.25em){.content__head:before,.content__main:before{left:calc((100% 1300px)/ 2 + 250px)}}.content__head .byline,.content__main .byline{border top:none!important;margin top:5px}.u fauxlink,a{color:#c70000;cursor:pointer;text decoration:none}.tonal tone news .tone colour{color:#c70000}.content__meta container{background image:repeating linear gradient(to bottom,#dcdcdc,#dcdcdc .0625rem,transparent .0625rem,transparent .25rem);background repeat:repeat x;background position:top; webkit background size:.0625rem .8125rem;background size:.0625rem .8125rem;padding top:12px;border top:none}.content__main column interactive .element atom,.content__main column interactive .element interactive,.content__main column interactive .element video,.content__main column interactive>h2,.content__main column interactive>p,.content__main column interactive>sub,.content__main column interactive>ul{max width:620px}@media (min width:71.25em){.content__main column interactive .element atom,.content__main column interactive .element interactive,.content__main column interactive .element video,.content__main column interactive>h2,.content__main column interactive>p,.content__main column interactive>sub,.content__main column interactive>ul{margin left:160px}}@media (min width:81.25em){.content__main column interactive .element atom,.content__main column interactive .element interactive,.content__main column interactive .element video,.content__main column interactive>h2,.content__main column interactive>p,.content__main column interactive>sub,.content__main column interactive>ul{margin left:240px}}.content__main column interactive>p{font size:18px}.content__main column interactive>p strong{background color:none;box shadow:none}.content__main column interactive>p sub{bottom:0;font size:100%;font family:"Guardian Headline","Guardian Egyptian Web",Georgia;font weight:700}.content__main column interactive>h2{font family:"Guardian Headline","Guardian Egyptian Web",Georgia;font size:28px;line height:1.36;font weight:700;color:#333;margin top:36px;margin bottom:6px}@media (max width:61.24em){.content__main column interactive>h2{font size:24px}}.content__main column interactive .element immersive{max width:initial;margin left:0!important;margin bottom:48px!important;font size:0}@media (min width:81.25em){.content__main column interactive .element immersive{width:1260px}}.content__main column interactive .element showcase{max width:860px}.content interactive:not(.paid content) .element interactive{background color:#fff}@media (min width:81.25em){.content interactive:not(.paid content) .element interactive.element thumbnail{margin left:80px}}.interactive grid{position:relative;margin bottom:24px;margin top:12px}.interactive grid::after{content:" ";display:block;height:0;clear:both}.interactive grid.interactive grid inline{width:100%}@media (min width:46.25em){.interactive grid.interactive grid inline{width:620px}}.interactive grid.interactive grid showcase{width:100%}@media (min width:46.25em){.interactive grid.interactive grid showcase{width:860px}}.interactive grid.interactive grid immersive{width:100%}@media (min width:46.25em){.interactive grid.interactive grid immersive{width:1260px}}@media (min width:71.25em){.interactive grid.interactive grid immersive{padding top:6px;padding bottom:6px;background color:#fff}}.image{position:relative;width:100%}.image img{position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;object fit:cover;object position:50% 50%}@media (min width:46.25em){.image.image half{width:50%;float:left;border right:2px solid #fff;border bottom:2px solid #fff;box sizing:border box}}@media (max width:46.24em){.image{border right:2px solid #fff;border bottom:2px solid #fff;box sizing:border box}}.image__inner{padding bottom:100%}@media (min width:46.25em){.image__inner{padding bottom:60%}}.image double .image__inner{padding bottom:120%}.interactive grid__caption{display:block;max width:180px;margin left: 10px;line height:12px;position:absolute;bottom:24px;z index:100}@media (min width:46.25em){.interactive grid immersive .interactive grid__caption{margin left: 20px}}@media (max width:46.24em){.interactive grid__caption{bottom:auto;top:24px}}.interactive grid__caption span{display:inline;background color:#ffe500;font size:14px;line height:20px;font family:"Guardian Text Egyptian Web",Georgia,serif;font style:italic;color:#000;padding:3px 2px 2px 4px;box decoration break:clone; webkit box decoration break:clone}@media (min width:1135px){.content__main column interactive:after{content:"";display:block;height:100%;border left:1px solid #dfdfdf;position:absolute;left:150px;top:0}}@media (min width:1300px){.content__main column interactive:after{left:229px}}*{box sizing:border box}.interactive atom{margin:0;padding:0}article .interactive wrapper{display:none}.headline container{align items:flex start;background:linear gradient(to bottom,#f6f6f6 80%,#fff);border radius:40px 40px 0 0;display:flex;max width:700px;margin top:10px;padding:30px 20px;width:100%}@media (min width:46.25em){.headline container{border radius:60px 60px 0 0;padding:60px 70px 90px 70px}}h1{font family:"Guardian Headline","Guardian Egyptian Web","Guardian Headline Full",Georgia,serif;font weight:400;font size:5rem;font weight:700;line height:.9;font weight:700}@media (min width:46.25em){h1{font size:8rem}}h1 span{display:block;position:relative}h1 span.reclaim{z index:3}h1 span.your{z index:2}h1 span.brain{z index:1;margin bottom:20px}h1 span.dek{font weight:100;font size:2.8rem;line height:1.1;z index:0}@media (min width:46.25em){h1 span.dek{font size:4.5rem;width:530px}}.phone monster{pointer events:none;position:absolute;width:125px}.phone monster.purple{top: 4px;left:4px;z index:3}.phone monster.green{top:13px;left:212px;z index:3}.phone monster.red{top:65px;left:93px;z index:2}.phone monster.blue{top:147px;left: 1px;z index:1}.phone monster.gray{top:149px;left:178px;z index:1}.phone monster.yellow{top:209px;left:86px;z index:1}.phone monster.pink{top:258px;left:230px}.phone monster.grey{top:331px;left:28px}.phone monster.orange{top:363px;left:154px}@media (min width:46.25em){.phone monster{width:190px}.phone monster.purple{top:13px;left:64px}.phone monster.green{top:41px;left:454px}.phone monster.red{top:135px;left:190px}.phone monster.blue{top:254px;left:28px}.phone monster.gray{top:254px;left:307px}.phone monster.yellow{top:348px;left:155px}.phone monster.pink{top:426px;left:378px}.phone monster.grey{top:571px;left:68px}.phone monster.orange{top:600px;left:294px}}.illo credit{color:#767676;font family:"Guardian Text Sans Web","Helvetica Neue",Helvetica,Arial,"Lucida Grande",sans serif;font size:.8rem;text align:right;max width:700px}.android .article,.ios .article{overflow:visible!important}.android .headline container h1,.ios .headline container h1{font size:80px}.android .headline container h1 span.dek,.ios .headline container h1 span.dek{font size:46px}.android #article body figure[data atom type=interactive],.ios #article body figure[data atom type=interactive]{display:none}.android #headline,.ios #headline{display:none}.android .article kicker,.ios .article kicker{flex direction:column}.android .illo credit,.ios .illo credit{font size:12px;font weight:400;width:100%} undefined A few months ago, we asked our readers a simple question: are you happy with how much time you’re spending on your phone? We received hundreds of responses, and they made one thing clear: many of us are deeply unhappy with how much time we spend on our phones, but find it hard to pull away.

Newsletter signup “I’m unhappy, I feel addicted. My ability to concentrate seems to have vanished.” “I can’t just sit and ‘be’ any more. I automatically reach for my phone if there is a moment of downtime. My brain struggles to settle and focus for any period of time.” “It’s the first thing I reach for in the morning, and last thing I use at night.

I think it’s affecting my ability to be fully with people.” “Even when I’m not looking at it, I can feel it tugging away at the back of my mind.” If you also struggle with your phone use, you’re not alone. And with the arrival of a new year, we think it’s the perfect moment to do something about it – and we can help.

This is why we’ve launched Reclaim your brain – our new series and free coaching program that will scrutinize the hold phones have on us, and explain how we can begin to escape their grip. The newsletter is designed to help you waste less time on your phone using tried and proven methods, and you can sign up here .

‘I stress about the time I’ve already lost to mindless scrolling’ Something isn’t quite right, is it? You might have noticed it yourself: the jarring little moments that have become so normalized, when perhaps they shouldn’t be. It could be someone almost walking into you in the street because they’re staring at their screen.

It might be your friend who can’t stop looking down while you’re sharing a meal, scrolling through Instagram instead of paying attention to you. Or it’s the concert where phones seem to outnumber people, wielded as if everyone is about to have their memories wiped on the way out. There’s also the smaller, weirder moments: checking your phone when it hasn’t even buzzed.

Feeling anxious when you don’t know where it is. Closing an app after exhausting all its possibilities, only to mindlessly open it again. Scrolling when you should be going to sleep, opting to be sleep deprived instead. While people have always managed to find ways to procrastinate, it’s remarkable how effective phones have been at eating up more of our attention over the last decade.

A 2021 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 31% of US adults said they were online “almost constantly”, up from 21% in 2015. Half of those aged 18 29 said they were “constantly online”. Meanwhile, a recent review of 82 high quality studies found that excessive phone use has been worsening over time (look out for our deep dive into the science of phone addiction, coming later this week).

Personally, I struggle most when I’m alone, free from anyone’s judgment, and can’t escape the beamlike glow of my phone screen. I stress about the time I’ve already lost to mindless scrolling through TikTok, Instagram and X, and the time I might still lose; the hours that will eventually add up to days, months and years.

Despite knowing I want to spend less time on my phone, I’ve never been able to meaningfully reduce my screen time. And as I started reading what Guardian readers had to say about their phone use however, I realized I wasn’t alone. “I’m finishing a doctoral degree and I feel very disturbed by the way the phone is taking my time (and I can’t control it despite trying to),” wrote Anna Karla, 32, from Lausanne, Switzerland.

“I have to look at a computer screen, like many people, all day at work,” wrote Sara Jean Harden, 30, from Phoenix, Arizona. “When I get off work, I can’t keep myself from looking at my phone.” Maybe it’s time to try something new. A free, fun newsletter to help you scroll less and live more Over the next several weeks, we’ll publish articles exploring all different aspects of our phone lives.

But to really make a difference to you, Guardian readers, we’ll also offer a free six week newsletter to help you reduce your screen time in the new year. The newsletter is co written with Catherine Price , the author of How to Break Up With Your Phone . She’s crafted a week by week plan with tried and proven tasks and tips for reducing your screen time.

The newsletter will also include weekly diary entries from our intrepid reporter Rhik Samadder as he battles his own demons to unglue himself from his phone. Can he finally restore some balance in his life? His methods are unorthodox – and definitely funny – and you can read about his epic journey by signing up .

One more thing: we’re not here to create a panic around what phones are doing to us, especially as scientists are still trying to figure out their various impacts – and many disagree with each other. We’re also not claiming that all screen time is wasted time: phones allow us to read the news, stay in touch with our family and friends, learn new languages and enrich our lives in a whole range of ways.

They can help us unwind when life’s many stresses have spun us the other way. Instead, the simple question at the heart of Reclaim your brain is the same one we asked our readers: are you happy with how much time you spend on your phone? Is it quality time, or mindless scrolling when you’d rather do something else? The key, then, is finding the right balance between our physical and digital lives.

Will you join us? If so, look out for our series of articles over the coming weeks, and sign up to the Reclaim your brain newsletter here ..

Disclaimer: This article was generated in part using artificial intelligence and may contain errors or omissions. The content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. We makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy, completeness, or reliability. Readers are advised to verify the information independently before relying on