“Our ability to focus is being hijacked by overstimulation”

I am sure we all have heard this on the productivity side of the internet a lot, or ironically even while watching a short or reel .And we all have done that, scroll past those shorts , onto the next one as your brain tells you to chase that next video for another spike of anticipation and hence dopamine

I realized this has effected not only our generation but our parents as well, I see them constantly hooked to Facebook shorts or reels whatever they call them, for hours. Observing this made me realize just how drastically our phone usage has increased over the last decade or so, think about it: what was life like in the early 2010s ? Or even before that. Personally, I never got a proper smartphone until college, and I remember around 6th or 7th class was the time touchscreen phones were just starting to become a thing.

My own experiences this year

When I began observing the world around me more, I noticed how restless we all have become, One moment stands out vividly: During a family trip , we stayed at a beautiful Airbnb cottage surrounded by pine trees and serene meadows in NC . The scenery was breathtaking—a postcard-perfect view, we enjoyed it for a while outside but after a while my dad returned back to his usual routine of scrolling Facebook reels when idle. Meanwhile, I stayed outside the entire time, playing with the beautiful dogs the host had and soaking in the scenery until it was dark. During those moments, I felt that childlike curiosity come alive again—a throwback to a time when you weren’t glued to a screen all the time.

But then I ask myself: Pratyaksh, are you missing the point? Maybe this Is just how people associate relaxation and unwinding in today’s world? Maybe this is the new way of “switching off.”

Deep work has become much harder

I realized this myself earlier this year, when I tried to work on a side project.I found myself constantly distracted by my phone or YouTube, unable to focus, Never had I felt this uneasiness at doing hard tasks, and it got worse as my screen time increased skyrocketed. I also tried reading more, which was the hardest thing to do apparently and before long, I replaced that habit with aimlessly browsing Reddit.

It’s like that ability to do deep work during JEE prep 6 years ago solving some of the hardest Physics, Maths, Chem problems had been slowly degraded to not being able to even sit for an hour to get an iOS app done. ( Ignoring work , cuz that’s really not that challenging ).

It felt as though the ability I once had to do deep, focused work during my JEE prep six years ago—solving some of the hardest Physics, Maths, and Chemistry problems—had slowly eroded. Now, I couldn’t even sit down for an hour to work on building an iOS app for an MVP. ( Ignoring work tasks, since those don’t really feel that challenging.)

Those long hours of study sessions were possible due to me being in the FLOW- a state of mind where you forget everything else besides what you are working on and get lost into it. Over time I came to realize, that getting into flow , or just getting focused work done has become really difficult, maybe due to the cheap easily available sources of dopamine, like scrolling through short-form content or indulging in other distractions. These instant rewards trick your brain into prioritizing fleeting pleasures over the lasting satisfaction of accomplishing something meaningful.

That uncanny feeling after watching too many shorts ?

We all have felt that , empty feeling you get after watching too many shorts or reels—a mix of laziness, guilt, and mental exhaustion. Your brain feels overstimulated, yet you’re left with nothing meaningful to hold on to. Worse, these rapid-fire videos often make you feel 10 different fleeting emotions all at once—excitement, humor, shock, sadness, and more. But what’s the result of that? Emotional fatigue. Your mind feels scattered and drained, unable to process or settle on any one thing.

Is it bad to overconsume ?

The worst thing about consuming endlessly on the internet in general is that all these platforms are designed to grab your attention all the time, you feel bored mid video ? There are recommended videos right at your that you can watch. And short form content is the worst type of offender of this.

This is a mind boggling stat, of an 18-year-old spends on screens over a lifetime, this is assuming 90% of free time spent on screens. It’s shocking—27 years out of a 90-year life expectancy spent staring at screens. Imagine what we could accomplish with even half of that time back.

Being bored is a good thing afterall

Have you ever felt bored? like that feeling as a child when you had nothing to do. When was the last time you didn’t use your headphones in the metro , and didn’t look down to your phone like everyone else and enjoyed just the scenery ouside. Reminds me of an excellent veritasium video on boredome.

Studies show boredom can spark creativity, helping you generate fresh ideas and solutions. It also forces you to confront your thoughts and think about what really matters. When we escape boredom with endless scrolling, we lose those opportunities. Instead of running from it, try sitting with boredom. You might be surprised by what your mind creates in the quiet.

Try Sitting with your thoughts ( Mindfulness ) !

So next time, go to the gym without constantly using your device, same with a walk, no headphones nothing , just you and your thoughts ! This idea takes us to “Mindfulness”, a form of meditation that I practice a lot. In mindfulness, you focus on being aware of a physical sensation while allowing your thoughts to flow naturally. You observe them, let them go without judgment, and return to the present moment. You’d be surpised how this very act helps slow down the chatter and increases your focus, but anyways this is a different topic for another post !

Mindfulness also makes you more aware of habits like excessive screen usage. When you’re conscious of how much time you’re spending scrolling or consuming short-form content, it’s easier to take steps to reduce it. Simple tools like screen time limits on your phone or YouTube extensions that help you remove the garbage recommendations can help a lot too!

Congrats !

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading.

If you’re someone who struggles with screen time and addiction to short-form content, start by becoming aware of what you’re watching. Slowly begin reallocating that time to something more meaningful—a hobby that sparks your creativity, a skill you’ve always wanted to learn, or even just spending time outdoors. Anything is better than endlessly consuming content with no real purpose, only to feel tired and lethargic at the end of yet another doomscroll.

Let’s be real—I’m not suggesting we ditch our smartphones or switch to trendy dumbphones (yes, people are apparently spending $300 on those now!). But this year, I realized how much time I’ve wasted under the guise of “educational” YouTube videos when, in reality, most of it was just entertainment disguised as productivity. Awareness is the first step, and I’m still figuring it out too.