One Change I Made to My Social Media Use Made a Big Difference on My Mood

I was listening to the podcast “The TryPod,” when cohost Zach Kornfeld mentioned he had swapped checking his phone first thing in the morning for a game of pickleball. The switch had made his morning mood so much better, he said.

It seemed a passing comment, but it struck me. I had been waking up for a while with a sense of dread. Could stopping the morning scroll make a difference?

The next morning, I woke up and didn’t let myself open any of my apps until I had finished a walk with my dog.

And it worked. No dread feeling.

It worked the next day too, and not engaging with my phone first thing has worked since –– which makes sense, said Dr. Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center, an independent research organization based in Newport Beach, California.

Engaging in something in the real world (rather than the virtual) and feeling like you have power over your decisions can make a big difference, she said.

“You were then ready to start the day with some front-loaded positive emotions, which can translate into increased resilience, productivity, willingness to try new things and be more open to experiences,” Rutledge said. “It also makes you a lot nicer to be around.”

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