How to Stop Scrolling and Start Living: Taking Back Your Time

Be honest: how many times have you picked up your phone to “just check one thing” and ended up deep in a rabbit hole of memes, TikTok challenges, and random Reddit threads an hour later? It happens to the best of us—one minute, you’re glancing at a notification, and the next, you’re stalking your cousin’s ex’s vacation photos from 2018. (Don’t worry, we’re not judging.)

It’s called mindless scrolling, and it’s a time thief. But here’s the real kicker: you don’t even enjoy it half the time. By the end of a scrolling session, you just feel drained, overwhelmed, and low-key annoyed at yourself. So, why do we do it?

The short answer: It’s easy, it’s addictive, and—let’s face it—our phones are designed to keep us hooked. The good news is that breaking free from this cycle isn’t about throwing your phone in a lake and going off-grid. You can have a healthy relationship with technology. The key is using it on your terms, rather than letting it control you. Ready to reclaim your time and take back your life? Here’s how to get started.

1. Admit there’s a problem (it’s the first step, right?)

Before you roll your eyes, hear us out. We’re not saying you’re doomed to a life of endless scrolling, but if you’re reading this post, you probably already know it’s something that eats up more of your time than you’d like. Acknowledge it. You can’t change what you don’t recognize. Take a good, hard look at how often you’re mindlessly picking up your phone—and why. Is it boredom? Procrastination? Habit?

You might be surprised. The average person spends about 2 hours and 27 minutes scrolling on social media every single day. That’s nearly 38 days a year lost to keeping up with influencers, memes, and cat videos. Imagine what you could do with even half of that time back!

Source: Exploding topics

2. Find your triggers and disrupt them

The next step is figuring out when you’re most likely to start scrolling. Is it right after you wake up? Whenever you’re feeling anxious or bored? During class when the lecture’s a snooze fest? (We’ve all been there.)

Once you know your trigger points, disrupt them:

• If it’s boredom:

  Keep something else handy to do when you get that itch to scroll—like a book, sketchpad, or a podcast you’ve been wanting to listen to. Swap the scroll for something that actually leaves you feeling good.

• If it’s procrastination:

  Set a small, achievable goal for yourself. Need to write an essay? Set a timer for 10 minutes and work only on the intro. That tiny commitment is easier to face than the entire assignment and won’t send you running to your phone to avoid it.

• If it’s habit:

  Take a moment before you automatically reach for your phone. Place it somewhere out of reach (yes, really), and ask yourself: What do I actually want to do right now? Sometimes, the simple act of pausing is enough to break the habit loop.

3. Set Digital Boundaries (And Actually Stick to Them)

It’s one thing to say, “I’m going to cut back on scrolling.” It’s another to make it happen. Start by setting some solid digital boundaries:

• Create Phone-Free Zones:

  Pick a few places where screens are off-limits—like your bedroom, dining table, or anywhere you’re trying to study. This creates space for your brain to not expect digital stimulation all the time.

• Schedule Screen-Free Time:

  Set aside specific times during the day for no-screen time. Maybe it’s an hour in the morning or the last 30 minutes before bed. Use that time to do something offline: read, go for a walk, or just stare at the ceiling and let your mind wander. It’s amazing what your brain comes up with when it’s not flooded with memes.

• Limit Social Media Use:

  Most phones have built-in screen time trackers. Set limits for specific apps—start small, like 30 minutes for Instagram—and stick to it. Use tools like the LiVELY app to help manage these boundaries.

4. Turn off the triggers

Notifications are the digital equivalent of a kid tugging on your sleeve every five minutes—annoying, constant, and impossible to ignore. Every time your phone pings, your brain releases a tiny burst of dopamine, making it harder to resist the urge to check it “just in case.”

Solution? Turn off non-essential notifications. Do you really need to know the second your cousin posts a new story? Probably not. Keep essential alerts (calls, messages from close friends and family), but turn the rest off. You’ll be amazed at how much calmer you feel when your phone isn’t buzzing 24/7.

5. Swap mindless scrolling for intentional browsing

Scrolling doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The trick is making it intentional. Instead of aimlessly opening apps out of habit, decide what you want to get out of your screen time. Is it to catch up with friends, learn something new, or just have a quick mental break?

Set a purpose every time you pick up your phone. For example:

• Instead of aimlessly scrolling Instagram, decide to spend 15 minutes looking at content that inspires you (art, fitness tips, travel ideas—whatever lights you up).

• Rather than drifting through TikTok, use that time to watch tutorials on something you want to learn (cooking, guitar, dog training—you get the idea).

If you’re using your screen time to engage with content that genuinely interests you, you’ll get more out of it—and it’s easier to stop when your purpose is fulfilled.

6. Introduce tech-free rituals

Replace mindless tech time with something else that brings you joy. Build in small tech-free rituals throughout your day that allow you to reconnect with yourself:

• Morning Moments:

  Swap waking up to your phone for 5 minutes of stretching or sipping a cup of coffee while looking out the window.

• Daily Walks:

  Go for a 10-minute walk without your phone. (Seriously, leave it behind.) Notice how you feel when you’re not tempted to reach for it.

• Evening Wind-Down:

  Replace that last late-night scroll with something calming—reading, journaling, or just letting your brain decompress.

7. Be kind to yourself

Breaking free from mindless scrolling isn’t going to happen overnight. You’ll slip up (probably a lot), and that’s okay. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress. Celebrate small wins, like a screen-free morning or choosing to call a friend instead of DMing them.

Every time you resist the urge to scroll, you’re retraining your brain to value real experiences over digital ones. And that’s something worth sticking with.

8. Remember: It’s your time

At the end of the day, your time is your most valuable asset. Don’t let mindless scrolling steal it from you. By building healthier habits and being intentional with your tech use, you’ll find yourself more present, more productive, and—dare we say it—happier.

So next time you catch yourself spiraling into another TikTok marathon, pause and ask: Is this how I want to spend my time? If the answer is no, close the app and go do something that makes you feel alive. Because life’s too short to live through a screen.