Why do we scroll so much? How to Enjoy It Without Being Drained
I remember seeing people in villages sitting outside their homes, just watching. Neighbors passing by, children playing, animals wandering. It wasn’t boredom. It was the simple joy of witnessing the spontaneous expressions of life.
But as we began living more between walls—apartments, offices, cars—that natural connection faded. And when the need to “watch life” had nowhere to go, something else appeared: social media. Instagram, TikTok, endless feeds… they became a substitute porch, a digital street to sit by.
In a way, scrolling also became a substitute for something else we deeply need—daydreaming. Our brain isn’t designed to be focused all the time. It needs moments of drifting, the silence of the “default mode,” where creativity and insight arise.
The need is real—and even precious. But our strategy often overwhelms the body and mind with stimulation. That’s the real difference. Watching a street or letting the mind wander is like a slow, nourishing meal. Scrolling is like sugar—sweet, exciting, but heavy if we keep consuming without pause.
So the answer isn’t to abandon our apps, but to place gentle limits. To ask:
How much time each day feels enough to satisfy this need—without overwhelming me?
And here’s the good news: your phone is already equipped to help. You can set reminders, app limits, or daily screen-time boundaries so you don’t have to stay hyper-conscious every minute. Let the phone do the monitoring—so you can simply relax and enjoy your chosen “enough.”
What would “just enough” look like for you today?
Regards
Sundar