The Dark Edit

September 8, 2025

As a graduate student, I often find myself in a relentless struggle for time. There never seem to be enough hours for schoolwork, spending time with family, getting exercise, and most importantly, taking care of my mental health. Recently, I decided to perform a straightforward analysis of how I spend my time by writing out where all 168 hours of my week actually go. The result was somewhat surprising. Although I spent 20 hours doing schoolwork and 8 to my job, I unfortunately spent 30 hours consumed by social media.

This wasn’t 100%  a surprise, but it was most definitely a wake-up call. One of my primary focuses is my mental well-being, and I had to face the fact that the time that was being used wasn’t beneficial to it. In my reflective writing, I realized that I spend most of my time in aimless scrolling, which leads to negativity absorbing my mind. This revelation led me to explore a broader cultural issue discussed in my recent readings, which is the gradual decline of our ability to concentrate.

My struggle to disconnect from scrolling and my difficulty in fully engaging with a book isn’t personal defect. It reflects the impact of our current media landscape. In his essay “I have forgotten how to read,” Michael Harris describes his loss of the capacity for deep focus, explaining that his mind “bucks” when presented with a simple paperback. Like many, he has been rewired. The internet conditions us to adopt a “cynical” reading approach, where we hunt for useful information or shareable links rather than taking time for ourselves throughout the day in a book.

Johann Hari expands on this in Stolen Focus, arguing that the shift from physical books to screens is fundamentally altering our thought processes. While reading a book trains the mind to follow a linear narrative, the web, which has its links and notifications, “reprograms your brain to read in a fragmented and disjointed manner.” This constant skimming diminishes our “cognitive patience,” which is the capacity to engage with complex ideas. It’s hardly surprising that after spending 30 hours in a skimming mode, my ambition to read more seems like an uphill struggle. This broken mindset also undermines our ability to empathize, as Hari points out. Deeply engaging in stories serves as a workout for our capacity to understand others, an experience that skimming through social media cannot authentically provide.

So why do we resort to this behavior? We frequently turn to our devices to escape feelings of boredom. However, intriguing studies on “digital switching” indicate that this tactic may backfire. Research has shown that participants given the freedom to switch between multiple videos reported feeling more bored and less fulfilled than those who viewed a single video in its entirety. The lead author explained that rapid switching sets back deep engagement, making the content feel “insignificant.”

This presents a central contradiction, which is that we occupy every free moment to fend off boredom, yet in doing so, we strip away something vital. In another section of Stolen Focus, Hari emphasizes the benefits of allowing our minds to roam. During moments when we aren’t concentrating on a specific task, such as when we’re on a bus or waiting in line, our brain’s “default mode network” (DMN) becomes active. This is when real cognitive work occurs, which means our brain links concepts, solidifies memories, and solves problems creatively. That enlightening moment rarely occurs from forcing our attention on a screen. But when it happens, it emerges when we take a step back and let our thoughts wander. By removing lazy moments, we unintentionally undermine our own creativity, which is one of my most significant personal principles.

Identifying the issue is one thing, but taking action on it is another. My time spent looking into everything highlighted that my behaviors do not match my objectives. I believe that the way forward involves becoming what experts refer to as an “Active Reader.” Unlike passive readers who quickly forget information after reading, active readers interact with the text by jotting down notes, posing questions, and minimizing distractions. It’s about reading deliberately and with intention.

In the end, the aim is to achieve that state of “flow,” a term introduced by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi to describe a condition of total fixation and energized concentration. Flow occurs in the ideal space where a task pushes your abilities without being overwhelming. It stands in sharp contrast to the anxious, scattered sensation of a lengthy session of mindless scrolling. It embodies the profound, fulfilling engagement that I believe we all desire.

My personal plan of action is straightforward yet effective. I will start by reducing my screen time before going to bed and dedicating more time to reading. It’s not about never using technology but rather about taking back my time and, in turn, my focus. It will require discipline to step away, but if I want to succeed as a student and in my future career, I must first take charge of how I spend my time.