Social media and focus

Over the past few months, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking (and writing) about social media — what’s okay, what’s not, whether it’s healthy or not. I think I’ve reached a point where I want to wrap that loop and move on. This will be my final word on it, for now.

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Last year was difficult in terms of focus. I’ve always relied on workouts as a way to release stress — there’s something about sweating it out that clears my head. But once I stopped being regular, that clarity faded. Anxiety crept back in, and I found myself falling into the trap of endless scrolling. It’s a cycle I know well. I wake up the next morning, a bit foggy, a bit regretful. If not social media, I’d turn to rewatching the same shows on loop — Star Trek, mostly (I’m still a fan). A friend once pointed out that I was either trying to escape reality or craving familiarity after being overwhelmed with new things.

That comment stuck. After one of those Star Trek binges, I felt the need to cut down the noise. I remember even writing a post about preferring screens that are minimal — fewer things to consume. That also reminded me how much I used to care about minimalism. These days, consumption feels like a default mode — food, tech, content, even time. Being present feels like a luxury.

But it really comes down to four things I keep circling back to:

• Better, more mindful food habits

• Healthier processing of thoughts

• Sharper focus on the present

• Willingness to sit with boredom instead of chasing dopamine

  
  

Back in college and the early work years, I had people around all the time. I’d drop in at a friend’s house, make coffee, and talk for hours. Conversations didn’t need a reason. Even on rough days, I’d pull someone out for a walk or a tea and just talk. That changed with time and remote work. I still have friends I talk to, but the circle’s smaller and the frequency’s lower. And somewhere in that quiet, I started writing more. But I also started filling the in-between moments with social media or rewatching shows — maybe because I’ve slowly become more introverted. Small talk doesn’t hold me anymore. I find myself wanting to share things that are heavier, more layered.

This year, I’ve been learning new skills again — and honestly, that surprised me. It brought back a kind of focus and curiosity I thought I had lost. The last few weeks have been a little off again, but I’ll probably find the rhythm soon.

I now think of social media like a tea shop. It’s fine to drop in, sit for a while, chat a bit. But if I start spending my entire day there, something’s wrong. I wouldn’t take medical advice from someone at a tea shop — I’d go to a doctor. Similarly, not everything I hear online needs to be absorbed. Some things are just passing chatter. I’ve made peace with that now.

I watched a video of Vijay Sethupathi once where he said something similar — if not on YouTube, we’d have been saying the same thing in a tea shop. The urge to speak confidently about everything without much background has always existed. It just used to happen in physical spaces. Now we do it online. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — unless we start mistaking it for reality. Unless we forget to check back with people who know more, or verify with those who’ve lived through what we’re casually discussing.

For now, I know where I stand. And that’s enough.