We’ve all been there. You’re taking a break from work, just “checking one thing,” or killing time between tasks, and you pick up your phone to scroll. Suddenly, it’s 20 minutes later, your brain feels fried, and you somehow feel both unproductive and restless.

It’s easy to get stuck in the trap of mindless doomscrolling. That’s why we put together this list of eight things to do instead. Each one takes 10 minutes or less.

Because this isn’t about becoming a new person or deleting every app on your phone. It’s about giving yourself a better default for those in-between moments when your thumb reaches for Instagram or TikTok.

Try one of these instead:
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1. Take a 5-minute walk, no headphones

‍No podcast. No playlist. Just you and the world around you. Even a short walk can reset your nervous system and clear some mental static.
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2. Write a one-page brain dump

Don’t worry about structure or polish. Just get everything out of your head and onto paper. To-dos, ideas, worries, random thoughts. Close the notebook when the page is full.
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3. Read five pages of a physical book

Keep a book nearby for those moments when you need a disconnect. You don’t even need to commit to an entire chapter, just five pages is enough to shift your attention. 
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4. Organize one small thing‍

Set a five minute timer and organize something small – your bag, your desk drawer, your kitchen counter. Bonus: the momentum might carry you further. After all, starting is the hardest part! 
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‍5. Text one person you haven’t talked to in a while

Reach out to someone you haven’t checked in on lately. A simple “thinking of you” works, or send a photo or a quick voice note with a few life updates. 
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6. Make a short list of things you’re excited about

Plans coming up. A recipe you want to try. A show you’re watching. Anything counts!
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7. Do something with your hands

Fold laundry. Water plants. Light a candle and reset a room. Physical movement helps your brain switch out of consumption mode.
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8. Change your environment (slightly)

Open a window. Step outside. Move to a different room. Sometimes all your brain needs is a new backdrop.

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Doomscrolling overloads your brain with constant input. These swaps do the opposite: they lower stimulation instead of replacing it. ‍

That’s where clarity, creativity, and motivation start to come back. 

So if you’re feeling uninspired, scattered, or creatively blocked, it might not be a motivation problem, it might be an input problem. Consider this your sign to step away from the feed, even just for five minutes, and touch some grass.

Need more help? Check out our anti-brainrot guide, and use code TOUCHGRASS for 30% off any Planoly plan. Let us handle your social posts, so you can log off and live your life!