How To Stop Scrolling Shorts/Reels/TikTok

Time-tested methods for YOU.

We started scrolling through TikTok in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, the platform had just begun its gigantic performance. But there was one problem.

You open the app "for a minute"... and you might not wake up until an hour later, with a numb arm, fog in your head, and a strange feeling of emptiness. Sound familiar? Welcome to the trap of endless scrolling — the addiction of the 21st century. You are not alone.

Why is it so damn hard to stop scrolling?

1. Dopamine High.

→ Every new video was like a little lottery. Can it be funny? Shocking? Helpful? Humouring? The brain gets a microdose of dopamine (the "anticipation and reward hormone") for each "win" - finding interesting content. This forms the strongest conditioned-reflex link: scrolling = pleasure.

2. The Zeigarnik Effect

→ The brain is better at remembering incomplete actions. Short videos rarely provide complete satisfaction. They cut off, leaving a slight sense of incompleteness, pushing you to the next clip.... and the next... "What's next?"

3. Infinite Flow

→ There are no natural stopping points - a feed with no end and no edge. No "The End." The algorithm knows your weaknesses better than you and slips in content that you just can't tear yourself away from.

4. Social Approval

→ Likes, comments, and subscriptions are all triggers for social validation, which is vital to our species. Even passive scrolling creates the illusion of being connected to the "stream of life."

The result?

Decreased focus (you can't read an article longer than that?), increased anxiety (FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out - fear of missing out on something important), procrastination, energy decline, sleep problems and worst of all, a sense of stolen time.

So, how do YOU stop scrolling?

1. Hardcore Digital Detox (Start Small)

→ Remove apps from your home screen. Hide them in a folder on the last screen. A physical barrier is already an obstacle.

2. Turn off ALL notifications.

→ Say no to "You have 100500 new videos!". Silence this sht. If you want to binge-watch something, do it intentionally, on your own terms.

3. Introduce a "Digital Curfew."

→ 1-2 hours before bedtime, your phone goes into aeroplane mode or to another room altogether. Buy an alarm clock! Try a complete detox for 24-72 hours. And delete apps for this time.

4. Attack the Habit at the Root

→ Keep a Trigger Journal. Take note of WHEN and WHY you reach for the scroll. Boredom? Stress? Anticipation? Trigger awareness is the first step to control.

5. The 10-Second Rule

→ Before opening the feed, stop for 10 seconds. Ask, "What do I really want right now? What can I do instead?" Often, the answer is not scrolling.

6. Find a Healthy Substitute

→ What can occupy your hands and brain in these moments? Just replace it with something beneficial for YOU. Gym, cooking, or reading a book you've always wanted. Anything that will OBVIOUSLY benefit you in life.

7. Micro-learning

→ Keep a book or article from your “Read It Later” list (use Pocket, Instapaper, etc) handy. Language apps (Duolingo), podcasts, short training videos (BUT with a clear goal and limit).

Thanks for YOUR attention, dear reader!

All these methods have helped us, and we want them to help you.

Just start today → Take one step to reclaim your life → Delete the notifications → Set a timer to refocus → Take a ten-second pause.

You're stronger than the algorithm.

You can handle this!

Follow our X for more insights.

Meet you next Friday!

With love,
Your Anis & Anastasiia!