Take a Break
We’ve been through a lot the past few weeks—not to mention the past 28 months of the pandemic. Between the current political climate, the relentless waves of COVID, and the demands of our regular lives, many of us are exhausted and burned out.
Our phones can feel like an easy place to rest our brains—to “zone out” and quiet the frenzied thoughts of day.
I, too, love tooling around on Instagram, looking at everything from cats tumbling out of flower pots to sarcastic mom memes. I love digesting hot-off-the-griddle scientific data and the intellectual conversations around it on Twitter. I love watching ordinary people do hilarious and ridiculous things on TikTok.
I also find it easy to get caught up in endless cycles of “doom-scrolling,” obsessively refreshing my social media feeds for the latest dose of bad news. I sometimes find myself deep inside a total stranger’s Twitter psychopathology, only to look up from my screen 30 minutes later wondering what day of the week it is—and what the hell happened to my brain?
Which is why it’s important for all of us—myself included—to carve out more screen-free time in our lives.
Let’s be honest: It’s unrealistic to quit social media cold turkey. We rely on it to connect with friends and family, to build community, and to keep abreast of the latest news. Social media is also incredibly fun! So I cannot expect abstinence. Like most things in life that are pleasurable but potentially addicting (i.e. sugar, booze, shopping), we’re healthier when we a) understand our relationship with screens and b) are able to better moderate our usage.
This week, I encourage you to find time for a “digital detox”—to log out of your social media accounts, put down your phones, and live in the present with your families and loved ones.
I’m taking a dose of my own medicine this week. I’m taking some time away from my screens while on a much-needed break with my family. I’m vowing to be more intentional about how I spend my time, specifically what I’m feeding my eyeballs and my brain. Taking stock of our media “diet” is an important part of self-care. As I tell my patients, caring for our bodies and brains together matters now more than ever.
I encourage you to join me on this screen-free holiday, even if it’s only for a day or an hour.
I will see you next week with two new missives:
a COVID update—specifically on how to think about the now-dominant BA.4/5 variant and the vaccine for kids, and
the next installation of my podcast, Beyond the Prescription. I’m thrilled to introduce you to my surprise guest next Monday night! As always, newsletter subscribers get early access to the newest episode every Monday at 7 pm ET.
Until then, be well.