How to Escape the Infinite Scroll Jail

Past few weeks I realized I was using my phone nearly all day and had no clue why. I used to barely touch social media - just WhatsApp - but suddenly I was constantly checking messages, dumb statuses, wasting hours. And what made it even worse, I started being active on X which was wasting a lot of time!

The problem isn’t just time. It’s the jail your phone creates. You check it anytime, notifications blow up, and suddenly you’re stuck. In this article, I’ll try to help you break out.

Do we really need phones?

The short answer: no.

Phones are just tools: send messages, make calls, listen to audio, watch useful videos, manage To-Dos, use banking apps, search stuff fast, set alarms. That’s it. Simple, non-wasting stuff. That’s what you really need phone for.

What actually wastes your time is doomscrolling on social media. The truth is you don’t need your phone for any of this. You can check messages, social apps, or even videos on a desktop or laptop, where it’s easier to control your time. On a bigger screen, you don’t get sucked into endless notifications and mindless scrolling. Your phone should be a tool, not a trap.

Step 1: Delete or limit apps

• Delete as many as you can. For real. If you wanna grow, delete them. If you want to keep doomscrolling, fine – just be honest with yourself.
• For me, I deleted social apps on my phone and use them only on desktop. Nobody is gonna need you on Facebook immediately. Urgent stuff? They can wait or call you.
• If deletion feels impossible, limit them. Grayscale your phone, use a minimalist home screen, hide apps in folders. Make it annoying and hard to mindlessly scroll.

Step 2: Control notifications

I think notifications are little jailers trying to drag you back into the scroll. Every ping, badge, or pop-up is a hook. Kill them all.

• Turn off notifications for everything that isn’t urgent. Social apps, games, news – MUTE THEM.
• Even desktop alerts can pull you in, so silence those too.
• The goal: make checking your phone a choice, not a reaction. Only check your phone at specific times. You are the one who decides when to check your phone.

Step 3: Replace scrolling with micro-actions

When you feel the urge, do something useful immediately:

• Take a 2-minute walk
• Journal one sentence
• Clean a drawer, do sth small
• Read a page of a book (ik it’s hard)
• Make scrolling feel guilty. Ask yourself: “Am I doing this because I want to, or just because I’m bored?”

Step 4: Start small

Don’t try to quit everything at once, that’s how most people fail. Start app by app.

• Pick one app that eats your time the most. Cut your usage by 30–60 minutes a day. Once you’re good, move to the next app.
• Track your progress and celebrate small wins - every minute counts.

Breaking the scroll habit isn’t about “just put your phone down.” It’s about building systems, replacing habits, and controlling your environment. If you do this right, you’ll finally take your time, focus, and brain back.

Note: These’re my thoughts for now. I’ll edit this later and add content to Content Page