Alternatives to doomscrolling

I am addicted to my phone. No doubt about it. I start my morning by checking all the usual social media, including the newsfeed app built in to all of our phones. Most of it’s not a downer. But there are the obvious offenders – Covid-19 – big announcement of the day! and how much life has changed indefinitely; Trump/US Election/the end of democracy as we know it; Climate Change; fires; other ways we can get sick or die, besides Covid; the economy; another icon has died; and so on. The news often scream out for a meditation break.

I am a practical person. So I am not looking to cut out doomscrolling completely. How else will I have interesting things to talk about during virtual coffee breaks with colleagues? But I do think it would be valuable for me to make a concerted effort to interweave activities that are good for my mind and soul. Here are some options:

Not a complete list, but some ideas:

• read a book (currently reading Girl Woman Other by Bernadine Evaristo)
• go for a run or walk (practice active meditation)
• prep a meal
• tidy up (not my strong point these days)
• do some push-ups
• complete a task for work
• call someone on the phone (voice calls are having resurgence during the pandemic)
• take a hot bath (and read a book)

• go workout in the park (the winter doesn’t scare me, I will dress for it)
• watch a show (endless streaming can result in watching crap shows. I recently watched a German series called The Last Word, that was quirky and touching and more up my alley). I also caved and added Crave to my subscriptions.
• have sex (no partner required if one is self isolating!)
• or just snuggle
• trim my nails and remove some of the calluses from my feet and try to ignore the worsening bunions
• shave my legs, but really, I let that go a lot these days too
• start a sourdough bread or bagels

• clean out the fridge
• sort out the clothes closet
• clean the floors (I hate cleaning floors and we have two dogs, so that is not a good combo)
• listen to music!
• check in on a friend and try to make them laugh
• do some jumping jacks
• kiss my dogs
• take a nap
• do Sun Salutations
• play Sporcle
• practice my deep squat, do the “couch stretch” for my quads, do “up dog” stretches for my lower back, roll on my foam roller..
• make plans for a socially distanced walk with someone not in my bubble

What activities do you enjoy between, or instead of, doomscrolling?