Are We Resting or Just Scrolling?

Yesterday, when I got home, I was so tired because of my classes and studies, and all I wanted to do was rest. But you know how I rested?

I took out my phone and started scrolling.

I knew I was tired, but I chose to doom-scroll.

And I am sure that many of you do that too. In fact, most of the people around me do the same, including my parents.

Why?

Because we have normalised scrolling so much that we’ve almost forgotten what real rest looks like. Remember when we were kids and used to sleep or rest whenever we got tired? But then smartphones and social media came, and now every break looks like a scrolling session.

But still, why do we do that?

This happens for a lot of reasons:

• Some people do this because scrolling is easy and requires little effort.
• Some do this to distract themselves from stress or uncomfortable thoughts.
• Some do it because they are so used to checking their phones and then do it without thinking.
• And some do it because they want a break but don’t know what kind of break they need.

In my case, I think it’s the third one.

But does scrolling actually help?

Well, I guess we all probably know the answer.

No, it doesn’t in most cases.

Taking a break is not necessarily the same as resting and relaxing.

I know scrolling feels good in the moment because all we have to do is use our thumb. But after that? It leaves us feeling distracted and even more tired.

However, it doesn’t mean that using a phone is inherently bad. Sometimes watching a funny video or a movie of our choice makes us feel alive after a tiring day. And talking to a friend feels enjoyable.

The problem starts when scrolling becomes an automatic instinct and when doom-scrolling for hours replaces real rest.

But we’ve become so accustomed to mindless scrolling that we can’t even recall what real rest looks like.

So, what does it look like?

There is no standard definition of real rest, but real rest should make you feel calm and relaxed; make your mind feel quiet and at peace; and, most importantly, make you feel refreshed and satisfied afterwards.

Here are a few ways you can relax instead of scrolling:

• Go for a walk
• Listen to music
• Journal
• Talk to a friend
• Sit quietly and think about life
• Read a book
• Or get enough sleep when exhausted.

Now,

How to make our breaks more relaxing?

Try to recall how we used to make our breaks memorable when we were kids. We used to first think of how much time we’ve got and then think of activities that fit our time constraints.

Like playing with our friends when we had an hour, or spending a few minutes on the swings when we had only 15 minutes.

We can still do the same: first, think of how long the break is, then put our phones aside and consider the options. We can also try doing different activities and notice which activity makes us feel recharged.

Student Support at the Biyani Group of Colleges:

Biyani has a whole bunch of activities for students to relax and enjoy college life. Like clubs for Poetry, Painting, Dancing, etc. The College also has a temple where students can feel calm, and Panchvati, a botanical garden where students can play with rabbits and ducks and spend some time in nature.

So, in the end, you do not have to earn a rest. You don’t have to make every rest productive. And the goal isn’t to stop using a phone, but to use it intentionally.

And remember to ask yourself a simple question:

“Am I resting, or am I scrolling?”