Protecting Your Peace Online by Noora Hossain
I never realised how much the internet was affecting my mental health until one evening when I caught myself scrolling through my phone for nearly two hours without even noticing. I wasn’t really enjoying it. I wasn’t learning anything new. I was just scrolling.
At first it feels harmless. You open one app to check a message and before you know it, you’re deep into a stream of other people’s lives. Holidays, career wins, perfectly edited photos, people who seem to have everything together. It’s easy to forget that what you’re seeing is only a highlight reel, but your brain doesn’t always process it that way.
I’ve definitely had moments where I’ve caught myself comparing my life to someone else's online. Maybe they’re travelling more, earning more, looking happier, doing something exciting. Even when you know it’s not the full picture, it can still leave you feeling like you’re somehow behind.
Then there’s doom scrolling. You open social media or the news just to “check what’s going on” and suddenly you’re absorbing a constant stream of negative headlines, arguments, and bad news. After a while it becomes exhausting. You might not even realise it’s affecting your mood until you start feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
The turning point for me was realising that protecting my peace online is actually something I have control over. Small changes made a bigger difference than I expected.
Here are a few things that have helped me:
Be intentional about who you follow: I started paying attention to how certain accounts made me feel. If someone’s content constantly made me feel insecure, pressured, or drained, I muted or unfollowed them. Now my feed is mostly people who inspire me, educate me, or simply make me laugh.
Set small boundaries with screen time: Instead of banning social media completely, I set gentle limits. For example, I try not to open social media first thing in the morning or right before bed. It helps me start and end the day feeling calmer.
Turn off unnecessary notifications: My phone used to buzz constantly with updates. I realised most of them were unnecessary. Turning off non-essential notifications reduced the feeling that I had to always check my phone.
Notice when you are doom scrolling: Sometimes I catch myself scrolling through for too long. When that happens, I pause and ask myself if this is actually helping me or just stressing me out. Often that’s my signal to close the app.
Give yourself permission to log off: One of the healthiest habits I’ve built is simply stepping away. Going for a walk, speaking to a friend, or doing something offline reminds me that the real world is much bigger than what’s happening on a screen.
The internet is an incredible tool, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of your wellbeing.Protecting your peace online doesn’t mean completely avoiding the digital world. It simply means being more mindful about how you use it, so it supports your wellbeing rather than draining your energy.