Have you ever found yourself endlessly scrolling through social media reels, only to realize hours have passed? Well, you’re not alone, we all are just trapped in this concentration crisis loop. Picture this: you’re ready to tackle your to-do list, but one reel leads to another, and before you know it, yours could have been a productive afternoon has vanished into the ether. Sound familiar? Well then if you can relate, welcome to my world! Uninstalling for a few days won’t help duh!
Do you ever notice we keep on scrolling even when we are studying or working or even while watching a movie? No matter what we are doing we just end up scrolling. We are a youth that is divided by nations and united by scrolling.
What if I say that reels don’t just waste our time but are also affecting and challenging our memory, harming our concentration levels? What would you say? At one point we all may have thought it’s not a big deal but trust me it really is. The level of our concentration is cooked!
Have you ever thought whatever situation you are in right now you end up getting similar reels on your feed, I mean as if you are being stalked and our feed knows exactly what is happening in our lives right now. When we see something that is our exact same situation we tend to relate to it more and that is what is actually happening to us. I guess if we were to get paid for saving and sharing reels we would have been all billionaires till now.
I used to be a person who would just binge-watch without a pause. But lately, I’ve noticed that I can hardly continue without feeling the urge to check my phone. It wasn’t until I started paying attention to my screen time that I realized these bite-sized reels were a big part of the problem. I never thought that it would affect me or my lifestyle unless being focused became a problem for me. One day, after realizing I had spent more time on reels while just piling up my work, it hit me: I was addicted and I never knew that.
People say midnight is for sleeping but bro are you serious? I mean when I go to bed it’s always like just a few more minutes until it’s already midnight. Not only that when I finally decide to sleep and shut the phone, it’s only a matter of a few minutes before I am not able to sleep and end up opening it againnnnnnnnn. Just scrolling and scrolling and scrolling and finally, we sleep when our eyes just shut on their own and that’s actually sad. Isn’t it?
Reels provide a quick dopamine hit, making them highly addictive. This constant stimulation trains our brain to expect quick rewards, undermining our ability to concentrate on longer tasks. Breaking the reel habit isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. And hey, if I have started to take this seriously, the same goes for you! Reels may be fascinating, with their quick, engaging content providing an instant escape from reality. However, I believe that this escape comes at the cost of our concentration and productivity.
Well, this doesn’t end here, reels have made our lives full of comparisons. We have not only started adding filters to our reels but also to our lives, as the name suggests. But how? There are 2 kinds of filters; one for your visuals and one for your identity. What you are shown is not the reality but a filter, a fake visual of reality. These portrayals can create unrealistic expectations, leading us to believe that such perfection exists and is easily attainable resulting in increased pressure, self-doubt, and anxiety. But we often forget that what we are shown is what they want us to see. Think of it like a Korean drama, if you have watched one you would know how all of a sudden, our expectations from a man would get insane but in reality, that perfection doesn’t exist. Ultimately, all of this distracts us from our paths and goals, affecting our ability to concentrate on what truly matters in our lives.
Some people see cigarettes as a quick escape from reality but I think reels do the same while also distancing us from real-life connections and experiences. The more we invest in the real world, the less we engage in the real world. It’s time to prioritize our real lives over the reels. Maybe bringing some small changes even thinking about it can significantly be our first step and improve our attention spans and overall productivity.
Let’s challenge ourselves to put down our phones, have meaningful conversations, and cherish the moments that can’t be captured. By doing so, we can begin to address the concentration crisis and regain control over our lives, focusing on what truly matters.
Remember, life is happening right in front of us, not just on our screens.
