Creating space to create: How to stop doomscrolling and fuel your creativity

Creating space to create: How to stop doomscrolling and fuel your creativity

Why is it that all day I just want to go home and read, draw, cook, create… but instead I spend all night doomscrolling and watching reruns? I think a lot of us feel this way. We feel tied to our phones and out of touch with the real world. Often, hours have gone by and I am in some sort of social media-fueled dissociative fugue state. I’m barely getting done the bare minimum (laundry, feeding myself, cleaning), let alone the creative pursuits I enjoy and want to devote time to.

There is a lot of talk right now about going back to the “analog” way of doing things, or opting to replace modern technology with their predecessors (choosing vinyl records over bluetooth speakers, or a day planner over the calendar app). These analog options involve much more physicality and tangibility. Modern technology simplified and streamlined many processes, but arguably has robbed us of the enjoyment that comes along with the work of handwriting a letter or winding a film roll. Reconnecting with analog formats is a way to unlock creativity, engage our motor skills, and even practice mindfulness. Plus- the more time we are away from our screens is probably for the better.

This is not to say creativity can only thrive when technology is out of the picture. In many ways, these tools can help take art, writing, and other interests to the next level. You can use the internet to learn new skills and connect with a community. This doesn’t replace the “real-world” equivalents but can be extremely valuable, especially for people who do not have access to these things offline.

Technology itself is not the problem. The overuse of it is. Social media especially, like anything else, is best in moderation. Still, a lot of us often will spend hours of the day scrolling on instagram or tiktok. I’ve been guilty of this, even sometimes resorting to scrolling on facebook and my email inbox when I’m not wanting to go to bed yet. But the crazy thing is, after a certain point it’s not even enjoyable anymore. Half of the time, what we’re seeing is just bad news and the most toxic behavior from people hiding behind anonymity. We are exposed to so much horrific content that many of us have become desensitized. Being so online has also made us out of touch with one another, society, and ourselves. We all recognize this is happening, and that we need to go outside and touch grass.

The longer we spend on social media platforms, the benefits we get from that engagement begin to decrease. After a while, it becomes just mindless scrolling, or worse, doomscrolling.

Getting locked into the cycle of scrolling and streaming not only harms our mental health and connection to the world outside our screens, but it also robs us of our time. With only so many hours in the day, we owe it to ourselves to use free time doing things that actually feed our souls.

I started this month with a vision of all the things I wanted to accomplish and work on in my free time, and I’m finding it challenging. If the choice is drawing or watching the same show I’ve seen five times, for some reason I keep choosing the show. And it’s frustrating.

This year, I have really struggled to consistently read books. I used to have a daily practice of reading for a few hours before bed, but this is now replaced mostly with scrolling. I also want to spend more time creating art, writing, knitting, and learning. I also have a growing list of recipes I want to try. It seems like there are not enough hours in the day. So, something’s got to give.

I don’t know what will be the most effective way to cut back on the digital and ramp up on the analog, but I’m hoping that making a few small changes will give me the space I need to fuel my creativity.