After spending gruelling hours working on a project, whether for school, work, or as a hobby, it is absolutely necessary to take a break. Hours of endless labour will only lead to burnout, preventing further work from being performed, and most importantly, negatively affect mental health.
I personally find myself unwinding solely through the use of social media, endlessly scrolling through Instagram and YouTube shorts. Much of the content I consume is manufactured to be as engaging as possible, with controversy being pushed forward by the algorithm.Instead of taking a calm moment to myself, I get angrier and dejected, sometimes about important current events, but most often about things that don’t matter. This affects everyone I know, and though many acknowledge it as a problem, they justify it by accepting it as a given fact of modern life.
Part of why we can only find reprieve in social media is the removal of spaces where you can relax outside of work and your own home. Though most places feature a “no loitering” sign on their walls, there are still spaces which encourage visitors to come and relax. The two which first come to mind are libraries and public gardens. Though they both may come with their downsides; libraries aren’t a place for socialisation, and public gardens appear to come with an audience to witness your retreat. However, they both provide a space where you can focus your attention on low-stake but highly engaging tasks.
Taking the time to read a book, either one borrowed or a short one from the shelf, or admiring nature will offer more liberation from stress than social media ever will.
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