I used to think I had anxiety. Turns out, I just had a phone.
My morning went as I imagine most of yours go too – wake up and take my phone right away to open a news website and be bombarded with bad news – a war started, the economy tanked, and so on. Of course you need to check the weather, scroll on your social media a bit, to see what your friends were up to last night, answer to messages that in no way needed your immediate attention. And before you even get up from your bed, you already feel irritated. No traffic. No emails. No people. Just vibes. Bad ones.
Living through this nightmare taught me this – the way we use tech daily doesn’t just fill time. It kind of sets the tone for the day – our feelings, the level of patience and whether the day starts with rainbows and roses or feral behaviour of a caged animal.
Below are the 7 habits explained – how it happens, how it affects us and what we can do about it without becoming social piranha and insufferable at dinner parties.
- Reading the News Before Coffee Is Basically Emotional Self-Sabotage
The problem:
Why we decided that we need to digest the global chaos first thing in the morning is beyond me. I did this for years. Eyes barely open, thumb already scrolling. War, economy, crime, something “experts warn” about. Excellent way to start a Tuesday.
What it does to your mood:
It is a well-known fact that our cortisol level is the highest in the mornings, which basically means that our stress hormones are at their peak at the point of waking. And when we read the news first thing in the morning, which let’s face it is never about a baby Panda being born at the zoo, we pour gasoline on a fire and call it “staying informed”.
You may not feel panic, but you will feel tense. Short-tempered. Weirdly rushed.
The fix:
Delay the news. I’m not saying ignore reality. Just don’t make it the opening act. I can say for myself that delaying news until after coffee, or even after the first work email, made my mornings noticeably calmer. Same world. Different nervous system.
- Weather Apps Are Emotional Manipulators (And We Let Them)
The problem:
Once you see the forecast, you expect it. I walked around all day waiting for the rain to come, and was super annoyed that it never happened. The 50% chance is a bit of a gamble. Plus the extra weight of the umbrella was digging my bag into my shoulder, adding salt to the wound. And bam, just like that I gave up the control of my emotions to the app.
What it does to your mood:
You start your day expecting something you haven’t lived yet. Rain equals disappointment. Heat equals anger. Cold equals “ugh.” Your brain rewires your expectations of how the day will go before anything happened yet.
The fix:
Check once. Dress accordingly. Then stop. You already left. Nothing will change, including the weather, if you refresh the app 6 times.
- Background Noise Is Quietly Frying Your Brain
The problem:
Today we expect to be entertained 24/7. We fold laundry while watching a YouTube clip, cooking while listening to a true crime podcat and listening to music while answering emails. Silence feels… threatening? Which is not normal, by the way.
What it does to your mood:
Your brain never gets a break. It needs to process even enjoyable content, like listening to music or audiobooks. There is such a thing as cognitive load – basically what your brain needs to process at once. And constant background noise keeps the load high all day long, which is bad for your brain.
The fix:
Try doing one thing a time without distractions. Dishes in silence. A walk without headphones. It feels uncomfortable for about three minutes, then oddly peaceful. Like your brain sighs. I swear you will hear your thoughts again.
- Short Videos Are Fun Until They Aren’t
The problem:
The short-form content is designed to be addictive. And the promise of watching 2-3 videos and then shutting off the phone is an obvious lie we tell ourselves. 15 minutes go by, and you are still watching, aimlessly, eyes tired, soul empty.
What it does to your mood:
Short-form content is like a dopamine hit, like the one you get after eating a chocolate bar. Laugh, shock, awe, repeat. Eventually your brain is overstimulated but unsatisfied. Researches have already proven that, but you can feel it, if you actually listen to yourself.
The fix:
Stop mid-scroll. Not after a “good one.” On purpose. It feels wrong. That’s how you know it worked.
- Notifications Are Tiny Stress Attacks in Disguise
The problem:
Buzz. Ping. Banner. You are constantly distracted, thinking there is something going on that you need to look at, even if you don’t.
People who turn off their notifications say how tense they have been with them on, without even realizing it.
What it does to your mood:
Low-grade stress all day. Less patience. More snapping.
The fix:
Keep notifications for humans. Silence the rest. Keep the immediate access to your nervous system only for those with one as well. Apps stay out.
- Nighttime Scrolling Ruins Tomorrow More Than You Think
The problem:
What harm can scrolling in bed do right? Wrong! The blue light destroys your melatonin production, so you can’t fall asleep as easily. Plus, constantly seeing how someone’s life is better, or how someone else is fitter or has something you wish you had really messes with your mood.
What it does to your mood:
The research on this topic is clear – blue light and the emotional stimulation before bed disrupts your sleep quality. You might fall asleep, and even get the optimal quantity, but the quality will be poor. You wake up heavy. Foggy. Off.
The fix:
No feeds 30 minutes before sleep. Read something boring. Stretch. Stare at the ceiling. Boring is deeply underrated.
- Multitasking Is a Scam We All Fell For
The problem:
Answering messages while watching something while “working.” It feels productive. It’s not.
What it does to your mood:
In the end of the day you “did a lot” without finishing anything, maybe, or at least that’s how that feels. Plus, you are exhausted from having to concentrate on many things at once. Burnout with nothing to show for it is uniquely depressing.
The fix:
Single-task once a day. Fully. Even for 20 minutes. You will feel suspiciously calm afterwards, I promise.
Why This Is Such a Big Deal Right Now
Things like emotional numbness, anxiety and burnout are at an all-time high. The problem isn’t that we suddenly forgot how to manage life. It’s that we unnecessarily want to stay informed on all things at all times.
Mood follows inputs. If what you put in your brain is chaos, your emotional state will mirror that and be anxious.
The good news? You don’t need to quit tech or a digital detox gateway. You just need to take back control of your emotional life.
Pick one habit. Change it this week. Just one.
You will be shocked by how little time you need to feel better. And when you make that conscious choice and notice the difference, you will keep choosing yourself more.
Then suddenly you realise that your constant state or tense and worry was not a physiological diagnosis but the way your nervous system was tired of being yelled at all day long.
