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Beyond the Feed: How I Learnt to Live Offline Too

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These days, it feels almost unnatural to sit still without reaching for a screen. But as writer Anne Lamott once said, "Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." That simple truth stayed with me. In a life increasingly lived online, I've come to realise that unplugging - both literally and mentally - isn't a luxury. It's a necessity.

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Sometimes I catch myself scrolling on Instagram or TikTok without even realising that half an hour has passed. It starts innocently - just checking one story or watching one short video while waiting for the MRT. Then, before I know it, I'm deep in someone else's holiday vlog or a video of a stranger cleaning their HDB flat. Social media has become so woven into our lives in Singapore that it's almost impossible to escape. Whether we're queueing for lunch, squeezing into a packed train during peak hour, or lying in bed at night, the temptation to pick up our phones is always there.

I remember the days when owning a Nokia phone felt like a luxury. We played Snake and sent 160-character SMS messages. Fast forward to today, and everyone - including primary school kids - has a smartphone. With it comes unlimited access to social media, which has brought both connection and chaos into our daily routines. I've noticed how it affects not just my time, but also my mood and mental clarity. After spending hours browsing through polished photos of others' lives, I sometimes feel like I'm not doing enough or achieving enough, even though I logically know that social media only shows the highlights.

It's easy to feel left behind when your feed is filled with people travelling to Europe, securing big promotions, or celebrating seemingly perfect relationships. For our society especially - where success is often measured by how fast you "chiong" in life - social media adds an invisible pressure. Everyone seems to be hustling, achieving, thriving. It can leave you feeling like you're lagging behind, even when you're doing fine by all normal standards. That kind of constant comparison can quietly chip away at your confidence and mental wellbeing.

That's why I've come to believe that maintaining good, acute mental health in this age isn't just about taking breaks - it's about building the discipline to consciously protect your mind. And honestly, it's not easy. Discipline sounds like a big word, but to me, it simply means making small but firm choices - daily ones. I started by turning off most notifications, because I realised I don't need to be alerted every time someone likes my post or sends a meme. I also unfollowed accounts that made me feel anxious or unproductive, and filled my feed with content that inspired, calmed, or educated me.

One of the best decisions I made was to stop using my phone for the first hour of the day. I used to wake up and instantly check my messages or scroll through TikTok. Now, I start my mornings by stretching, journaling, or just having a quiet breakfast. That one change alone gave me more mental space than I expected - it's like my brain gets to breathe before the world rushes in.

When I take public transport now, I sometimes challenge myself to not touch my phone for the entire journey. It sounds minor, but it trains the mind to sit with boredom or quietness instead of always needing stimulation. I've come to realise that boredom isn't the enemy - constant stimulation is. The more our minds get used to being overstimulated, the harder it is to focus, rest, or feel truly present. And presence, I believe, is the secret to sharp mental health. When you're present, you notice things - like how your colleague is feeling, how your coffee actually tastes, how tired your body really is. When you're always distracted, everything becomes noise.

It's not about quitting social media altogether. That's not realistic for most of us. But it's about mastering your usage instead of letting it master you. Treat social media like bubble tea - enjoyable in moderation, but overwhelming if you have too much at once. You need structure, intention, and yes, discipline.

In a high-pressure, fast-paced society where mental health often takes a backseat to performance, building this kind of inner discipline is essential. We're already dealing with school stress, work KPIs, family responsibilities and rising living costs. The last thing we need is to let social media silently drain our focus, confidence, and time.

So now, I ask myself regularly: Is this making me better or just more distracted? That question alone keeps me grounded. Because ultimately, mental health isn't just about being free from anxiety or sadness - it's about clarity, energy, and peace of mind. And none of that can survive in a brain that's always busy scrolling.

If we want to stay mentally sharp and emotionally steady, we need to set boundaries, take digital breaks, and be more mindful about what we consume and why. Otherwise, it's all too easy to get swallowed up by an endless stream of content - and forget to live our own lives in the process.

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Shepherd03