If you’ve been wondering how to stop scrolling but don’t want to delete all your apps or commit to a full digital detox, this might help.
Last week I was home sick. Like… truly horizontal, tissues everywhere, no energy sick.
And I spent an embarrassing amount of time mindlessly scrolling all the apps…IG, TT, FB, YT
I was fully aware of what i was doing and I would put my phone down only to pick it back up again a few seconds later.
I knew I had a phone addiction before being sick.
But lying in bed with nothing else to do made me realize how bad it actually was.
Last week, my screen time averaged 9½ hours a day.
Nine. And. A. Half. Hours. WTF…Are you kidding me???
That’s more than a full-time job. And honestly? Seeing that number made me want to throw up.
First of All… Survival Tools Matter
Before we go any deeper, let’s acknowledge the MVP of the week:
🤧 Puffs Tissues with Vicks
I didn’t even know I needed these until this week.
When you’re blowing your nose 700 times a day, these are a MUST!
I’m half filippina, we love our Vicks, so Vicks in a tissue…. I mean, literally OBSESSED.
If you’ve never tried them, I’m talking about these Puffs Plus Lotion with Vicks. You can find them by clicking HERE.
Okay, back to the point of this blog post.
The Video That Called Me Out
Now, prefacing this by saying: I don’t identify as Christian.
I was baptized Catholic.
Went to a Christian school k-10th grade.
And in 10th grade I told my Bible teacher that “Christians are hypocrites.” (Not that I need to explain myself, but here’s why: when I was in 5th grade, the school’s youth pastor was arrested on campus for molesting a few of the students… and at a different time, the principal was having an affair with the secretary…so um…yeah…)
I just recently started reading the Bible out of curiosity for my own knowledge. Not quite sure how I feel about it yet.
And also…I do enjoy watching church on YouTube (my clients know I’m a big fan of “take what resonates, toss the rest” LOL im just gathering information 😉)
Anyhoo, I came across a video titled: “Breaking a Phone Addiction with Jesus.”
And that title… got me. The pastor basically said:
Instead of spending so much time on your phone, why don’t we spend more time praying or in the Bible?
Now listen — I respect your opinion, your beliefs, your lived experiences and all religions AND also whether you believe in none. This isn’t me telling you what to believe.
But what he said reminded me of what I used to teach.
It Reminded Me of My Health Coaching Days
About 10 years ago, when I first started health coaching, I worked with women who wanted to lose weight and also struggled with binge eating.
Most of the advice they were hearing sounded like:
- Cut out sugar.
- Cut out carbs.
- Cut out fat.
- Stop eating everything fun.
Restriction. Restriction. Restriction.
But my approach was different. I never told them what they couldn’t have.
Because there’s something that happens in our brains when we say we can’t have something, we end up wanting it more.
Sound familiar?
Add Before You Subtract
Instead of taking food away, we added nutrients in first.
Yes, you can have the fried chicken, but let’s add vegetables to your plate…and eat those first.
Yes, you can have pasta, but let’s make sure there’s protein alongside it so your blood sugar stays stable.
Yes, you can have dessert, but let’s make sure you actually ate enough nutrient-dense food beforehand.
Another example?
If someone loved soda, I wouldn’t say, “Stop drinking it.” I’d say, “Let’s make sure you drink two big glasses of water first.”
We focused on vegetables, fiber, protein, hydration. We added nourishment before removing pleasure.
When they saw in their food journal that they were consistently adding nourishing foods, it signaled to their brain: “I’m winning.”
And when we feel like we’re winning, we want to keep going.
Over time, their taste buds changed, energy shifted, they wanted to move their bodies and their confidence grew.
After three months, you could see it in their body and feel it in their presence.
All from adding before subtracting.
Why a Digital Detox Probably Won’t Work (For Me)
So when I saw 9½ hours of screen time, my first thought was:
Delete the apps and do a digital detox….
But that felt like telling myself: “You can’t have ice cream ever again.”
And I know myself. I would only want it more.
So instead of subtracting scrolling…I started asking:
What could I add to my day instead?
Things To Add Instead of Scrolling
Here are a few things I’m already doing and talk about in my online program The Embodied Shift Method:
Creativity
What does that look like for you? For me, it’s writing these blog posts. Jotting down ideas. Letting my brain make something instead of consume something.
Reading
Even 10 pages changes the energy of my evening..and I sleep better.
Physical Movement
Pilates. Riding my bike. Swimming. Rollerblading. Hiking. Yoga. Gym. Walking with a friend. You’re only going to do it if you actually enjoy it. What type of physical movement do you enjoy?
Watercolor
It humbles my perfectionism. You can’t fully control watercolor and that’s kind of the point.
Junk Journaling
No rules. Just expression and remembering to collect the junk.
Playing Solitaire
I’ve been loving my deck of cards lately. It’s simple. It uses my brain. It brings me back to my child hood.
Just to name a few.
If you have ideas you love, drop them in the comments at the bottom of this post. I genuinely want to know.
The Hard Truth
At the end of the day, this only works if you want it to.
You have to want it.
No one can shame you into scrolling less. No app blocker can fix what you don’t actually desire to change. But awareness is powerful and insightful.
So I’ll gently invite you to do what I did:
Go check your screen time. And if you’re not happy with that number…try adding something in.
Where This Connects to The Daily Shift
If you’re serious about learning how to stop scrolling and reduce screen time in a way that feels supportive, not restrictive, The Daily Shift is a gentle place to begin.
It’s not about overhauling your entire life. It’s about small, nervous-system-based additions.
Five simple practices that help your body feel steadier, clearer, more anchored so that you can naturally start choosing differently.
Because when your nervous system feels regulated, you don’t need as much dopamine from your phone.
You don’t need as much numbing or distraction.
You feel full.
If you want to start small, grab your free copy of The Daily Shift HERE.
Closing Thoughts
Scrolling isn’t bad, but 9½ hours a day?
That’s not aligned with the woman I’m becoming so I’m actively choosing differently.
Reminding you that you always have a choice
Here’s to your next shift.
Haley 🤍
