Mom Warned You About the Phone, and She Was Right

Let’s take a moment to pause and reflect: when was the last time you truly let your brain rest?

The kind of time when you’re doing the least, or perhaps even nothing at all. 

Imagine yourself on a porch, sipping coffee on a calm Sunday morning. The air is crisp, unpolluted still, and you’re considering morning walks. No mental tabs open, no phone buzz, just you fully present in the right headspace.

When we think about it, it’s really in these simple, everyday ‘idle’ moments that reignite our spark. The excitement of going to your favorite restaurant after work, sitting at a park bench watching strangers pass by, or daydreaming as you watch the sun sets. It’s not the productivity that we know of, but usually, these are the times when our creativity soars.

But we fill every pause possible. We’ve mistaken doomscrolling for ‘rest’. Not just during downtime before bed—we scroll through our phones while waiting for a friend who’s running late. We eat while watching TV. We even bring our phones to the toilet. There’s barely time for our brain to rest from the constant task-switching. 

Our minds are constantly occupied, while work and other concerns add to the pressure.

Over time, we start feeling the effects creeping in: decreased attention span, mental exhaustion, increased anxiety, and more.

Once we understand how relentlessly our brain works behind the scenes, even the most mundane moments begin to feel like a necessary breath of fresh air. 

Read: The Pains and Rewards of Screen-Free Sundays

How the Pace of Modern Life Fuels Burnout

There used to be moments when doing nothing felt natural. In those idle moments, our minds could finally breathe.

Today, those quiet pauses are nearly extinct. We’re never fully immersed in what we’re doing, also never truly switching off. The second we feel a lull, we do anything but allow our minds the space to simply be still.

In chasing constant stimulation, we’ve forgotten how to just be. We don’t let our brain be on Default Mode Network (DMN), a resting state that activates when we're not focused on any specific task. That’s where creativity, reflection, and deeper thinking take place.

Every time we switch from one task to another—even if it’s just pausing to check a notification—we use up mental energy. Known as context switching, this constant toggling between tasks, tabs, and environments increases our cognitive load, draining focus and energy.

We weren’t designed for this pace. Yet in a world that treats stillness as something to fix, we keep pushing past our limits.

Reclaim Your Mental Space

Let yourself be idle. We don’t always need to fill every gap. In a world that constantly nudges us to keep going, owning the stillness in our everyday lives is never a wasted time. Here’s what you can do:

1. Ease into your day. Stretch a little, open the window, maybe just sit and let the air in before jumping into your planner or screen.
2. Choose a mealtime and let it be just that. No screens, no background noise. Just food, your thoughts, and a moment to check in with yourself. It sounds small, but it helps.
3. Take more open-ended breaks. Whether you’re commuting, waiting in line, or winding down before bed, try not to reach for stimulation immediately. Let your mind wander a little. That in-between space is often where the best thoughts quietly surface.
4. Build boundaries around tech. No need to quit your devices. But maybe start noticing when you're reaching for them out of habit. Can some scrolls wait? Can a pause be left uninterrupted? Protecting even a few minutes of stillness can make a difference.

In the quiet moments when you're doing nothing, the brain’s Default Mode Network awakens, giving you space to reflect, recharge, and reset. 

Embrace these pauses. They may seem minor, but they hold the power to deeply restore you.

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