The Dark Edit

Stories, culture, design, and life online through my lens.

  • September 13, 2025

    I made the decision to take a “detox” from social media, mainly to limit my TikTok usage. I realized I was spending excessive time aimlessly browsing through videos, instead of doing things that benefit my mental health and overall well-being. I wanted to explore how a break would affect my overall digital habits. The outcomes were more unexpected and enlightening than I anticipated. This was not just a pause from social media, it was an experiment to gain insight into my connection with my phone. There wasn’t just one motive for pursuing this digital detox, the reasons were to alleviate anxiety, enhance sleep quality, and regain time for more constructive and beneficial actives. For example, I want to go on more walks, learn how to sew, or even start scrapbooking. Not only do I want to take on this challenge to maybe start a new hobby, but I just want to block out any noise that will distract me from doing work and hold me back from being the best version of myself. I hoped to see a notable decline in my screen time and an improvement in my general well-being.

    Prior to the Detox: My Online Behaviors

    Reflecting on my usage prior to the experiment, it became clear where most of my time was spent. In just a week, I accumulated a total of 1,253 minutes on TikTok, translating to over 20 hours spent on consuming, liking, and sharing posts. The analysis revealed that I was spending approximately 13% of my time that week on this one app. My average daily screen time was already quite high at 178 minutes (almost 3 hours), peaking at 431 minutes on September 6th.

    The distribution of my app usage highlighted a similar trend of significant social media engagement. Instagram was my second most utilized app with 365 minutes, followed by Spotify at 271 minutes, Messages at 260 minutes, and Snapchat at 140 minutes. Such excessive screen time is frequently related to the rising feelings of anxiety, small attention spans, and an ongoing fear of missing out (FOMO). I was certainly feeling the pressure and was ready to make a shift.

    The After: The Surprising Turn

    The detox was successful in one aspect, which was, I successfully lowered my dependence on TikTok. However, the data from the week that followed the experiment showed an unexpected and important development. My average daily screen time didn’t go down, it actually increased. It spiked to an average of 317 minutes each day. What caused this? I simply substituted one habit for another. Instead of spending hours on TikTok, I found myself dedicating even more time to Instagram, which represented 64.1% of my total app usage. Messaging was the second most used category at 12.9%, with apps like Snapchat, Spotify, and Duolingo trailing behind. This is a typical trend for many individuals attempting to detox from social media. Our attention span is limited, and when we eliminate one source of distraction, our minds often look to fill that gap with another source. The true problem isn’t the app itself, but the fundamental psychological need for ongoing stimulation and connection.

    The Larger Perspective: My Weekly Usage of Screens

    Upon examining my screen time from September 7th to September 13th, a distinct weekly trend became apparent. My screen usage peaked during the weekends, reaching 7.2 hours on Sunday and experiencing another increase on Saturday. Usage then decreased throughout the week, with the lowest point occurring on Wednesday. This trend aligns with research suggesting that screen time tends to increase on weekends due to more leisure opportunities and fewer scheduled activities. For many people, the weekend serves as a time for passive entertainment, making our phones the most accessible option.

    The most important takeaway from the detox was that it is insufficient to simply remove one app. The true challenge lies in addressing the fundamental behaviors and establishing healthy limits concerning technology, particularly on the days I am most prone to losing track of time. This experiment was less about “curing” my phone dependency and more about gaining insight into my habits. It demonstrated that genuine digital well-being is not solely about avoiding a specific platform; rather, it involves being more intentional with my device usage. It is about reclaiming control from the constant notifications and seeking a better middle ground between my digital and real-life experiences.

  • I am thrilled to announce the completion and release of my final white paper, “The Deep Focus Advantage: A Strategic Blueprint for Combating SMM Burnout and Maximizing High-Impact Content.”

    For too long, the Social Media Management (SMM) industry has been trapped in a reactive, “always-on” culture. We’ve been led to believe that juggling tasks is productive, but my research confirms this is a false economy. The continuous context-switching required to manage real-time engagement and internal pings is a critical problem: the cognitive cost of distraction means it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to fully regain focus after an interruption. This drain results in immense cognitive fatigue and contributes to the staggering statistic that 63% of SMMs report job-related burnout.

    This fragmented attention not only harms people, but it also harms the bottom line, accounting for an estimated $650 billion in lost productivity among American workers each year.

    My research proposes a fundamental solution, which is the institutionalization of Deep Work and Flow states. I suggest that future performance is determined by the quality of strategic output rather than the speed with which responses are delivered.

    The Strategic Blueprint contains actionable actions for scheduling, defending, and executing obligatory Deep Work Blocks, ranging from creating organized processes (Agile & Kanban) to employing time-blocking. It is time to get out of the Shallow Work Trap and recover the creative mandate of the SMM function.

    Read the entire white paper to take your process from perpetual chaos to sustainable, high-impact excellence!

  • October 1, 2025

    In all honesty, I am just as guilty as everybody else when it comes to my phone and social media. It is like an extension of my hand, and I’ve spent years browsing through Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. I enjoy keeping up with pop culture, and yes, I am a fan of the Kardashians. Their lives, fashion, products and their supposedly flawless existence are all intriguing. For years, I’ve watched their shows, absorbed every fashion trend, and even fantasized about living a luxurious life like theirs. But now, something has changed for me, and I’m beginning to question if the shiny facade of social media conceals something a lot more difficult.

    The Point of No Return I recently watched The Social Dilemma. If you haven’t watched it, after you are done reading this, go watch it on Netflix. It is believed that 100 million people worldwide have watched it, and with good cause. It reveals how these platforms are meant to attract, influence, and eventually damage us. It’s more than simply there to throw away our time. It’s also destroying our mental health, self-esteem, and even our social structure. Before The Social Dilemma, I assumed I had a normal habit, just like any person in their 20s. Now I see it for what it is, a carefully crafted trap. These applications are more than simply tools, they are complex machinery built to keep us browsing, clicking, and consuming. And the cost? It’s far higher than I ever expected. Consider the influence on how we perceive ourselves. When I look at the Kardashians, I see gorgeous skin, luxury clothing, and luxurious getaways. It’s easy to become absorbed in that ideal and compare my own life and appearance to theirs. Suddenly, my regular skin gets a flaw, even when I consistently use the products celebrities say will “make your skin the clearest it has ever been,” my clothing isn’t trendy enough, and my past vacations suddenly become boring. This cycle of comparison is an invisible attack of self-esteem, especially among young people who are still discovering who they are. Tailored perfection is constantly being shoved in our faces, which creates an unachievable goal.

    The Expensive Price of the Spotlight However, even the seemingly “perfect” lifestyles are not flawless. For me, no one better represent this reality than Justin Bieber. I have been a Belieber since 2009. I know every single album and era. He rose to superstardom at a very young age, achieving a level of fame and money that most of us dream of. Millions of followers idolized him, yelling his name and obsessing over his every action. Nonetheless, his journey has been a public demonstration of how money, celebrity, and admiration do not correlate to happiness or inner serenity. He’s been quite candid about his battles with mental health, addiction, and the stress of being in the spotlight. He’s basically taught that having millions of dollars in the bank and millions of devoted followers doesn’t make your life any better than anybody else’s. In a number of ways, it may make things tougher.
    His vulnerability was a wonderful lesson for me and made me look up to him even more. It’s a sharp reminder that what we see on social media, including from our celebrities, is only a part of the truth. If someone with so much success and praise can yet struggle so deeply, what does it say about the rest of us, who strive for unrealistic perfection based on filtered images?

    Taking Back Social Media The movement for change is rising, and it is being driven by individuals like us who are seeing the consequences of our digital addiction. #MySocialTruth is a platform that allows young people to tell their stories, cut through the distractions, and help create a future in which social media serves us rather than controls us. I’m exhausted from this constant wave of comparing myself to people that I have never even met. In my life, I want authentic interactions, experiences, and self-acceptance. I can no longer accept a reality in which algorithms determine our value and the concept of perfection creates an unachievable norm. I am determined to assist in creating a new, more compassionate digital world.

  • September 29, 2025

    Being “busy” is a badge of pride in today’s business. Our inboxes are overflowing, our calendars are full, and we gauge our productivity by the number of chores we complete email a given hour. We are treading water all the time. But consider this, How recently have you finished a job that actually called for undivided, concentrated effort, the kind of work that genuinely stimulate value and innovation? You may be falling victim to the “busy trap” if you are having trouble remembering.
    This is the main takeaway from researching productivity concepts like Deep Work, Flow, and Focus: Time is not created equal. A few hours of “deep labor” are significantly more beneficial than a full day punctuated with meetings, emails, and notifications.

    What is Deep Work, Exactly?
    Deep work involves focusing on a task without distractions, pushing cognitive faculties to the maximum. This effort adds fresh value, strengthens your skills, and is tough to imitate.
    This is in contrast to “shallow work,” which is often administrative, readily repeated, and does not involve advanced intellect (such as responding routine emails or organizing meetings).
    When you attain a state of Flow, which is the sense of being totally captivated and motivated by the activity at hand, your brain enters a zone of high productivity. This is when the brightest ideas emerge and the most complicated challenges are addressed.

    Why Your Industry Needs It Now
    Every professional business, from social media and public relations to design and production, has productivity challenges as a result of information overload and continual connectivity.
    If you operate in a job that involves creativity (such as design or content production) or complicated problem-solving (such as development or strategy), frequent interruptions are the enemy of your worth. The time it takes to return to a tough activity after checking a notification can consume up to 20 minutes of productive work. This is not simply an individual concern, but an organizational crises. Organizations that adopt deep work principles can realize considerable increases in productivity, creativity, and general job satisfaction.

    Your Call to Action: Strategies for Starting Today
    You can not suddenly turn on a switch and start performing deep work, but you can establish the habits that lead to it. Try these practical strategies: Schedule “Focus Blocks”: Treat intense work time as an essential meeting that cannot be rescheduled or interrupted. Set aside 90 minutes to two hours per day for your most important, cognitively challenging work. Ritualize Disconnection: Develop a clear procedure for entering a deep work state. This may include shutting all email tabs, placing your phone in another room, or wearing noise-cancelling headphones. Identify Interruptions: Keep track of where your time is truly going. Administrative tasks are likely to take up valuable creative time. Delegate or group shallow tasks (such as checking email) into 30-minute time intervals.

    The message is plain.

    Productivity is not about being busy, but about being focused. By devoting yourself to short, intense bursts of focused effort, you may progress from just managing your task to mastering it.

  • September 22, 2025

    Recently, I have been exploring the realm of project management, engaging with it not much as a theoretical concept but as a practical method to oversee my academic responsibilities. As a researcher, I continuously seek improved strategies to organize my ideas, monitor my progress, and ensure that I am not just clinging to deadlines but genuinely interacting with the subject matter. This semester, my objective was to create a structured project management technique for my coursework, and the outcomes have been both revealing and transformative.

    My initial step involved choosing the appropriate tool for my needs. I required a system that was flexible enough to accommodate a variety of tasks, from readings and blog entries to skills evaluations and data analysis but also visually user-friendly because I’m more of a visual learner. The main idea was to identify a platform that could act as a central point for all my course-related activities. After careful thought, I decided to go for a Kanban-style dashboard. This visual method enables me to view everything at a glance, from tasks that are “in progress,” “stuck,” or “completed.” The real-time dashboard provides me with a clear snapshot of my entire workload, including a detailed breakdown of tasks according to their due dates, which has been essential for effective time management.

    Establishing the system was a significant learning experience in itself. It required disassembling each module into its fundamental elements. For instance, in Module 1, I didn’t just categorize “Readings” as one task. Instead, I divided it into smaller tasks such as “review the introduction and watch the module videos” and “read the Attention Span article.” This detailed approach ensured that I addressed each element with the necessary attention and detail. It represents a vital principle of project management that when you have a large task that has a lot of different parts to it becomes easier to tackle when segmented into smaller, actionable steps and to make sure I don’t forget any steps.

    This is definitely more than just a basic checklist, this system evolved into an active record of my progress. The dashboard indicates that I’ve completed 21 tasks, with another 17 either in progress or stalled. This type of information is crucial. It’s not entirely about ticking items off a list, it’s about comprehending my workflow, pinpointing potential obstacles, and adjusting my tactics dynamically. The “Tasks by due date” graph reveals a clear distribution of my workload, assisting me in planning for busier weeks ahead. For instance, I now recognize that the weeks of September 22nd and September 29th have a considerable number of tasks due, allowing me to manage my time wisely because of this.

    This experience has reinforced a fundamental principle of deep work, that the significance of structured, intentional effort. By using the website ‘Monday’ and being able to visualize my workflow, I’ve opened up mental capacity that was previously occupied with simply trying to recall what needed to be done next. How I know view my work has transitioned from just finishing tasks to thoroughly engaging with the material, whether crafting a blog post, working on a data project, or drafting a white paper. This system has become a collaborator in my research journey, not just a list of responsibilities.

    The insights gained here extend well beyond this course. The capability to systematically plan, monitor, and report on intricate projects is a vital skill applicable that I can apply to my future career. It surrounds more than just productivity, it’s about developing a strong and dependable process that can tackle any challenge whether its work I have to do or events I have to attend. I’m eager to continue utilizing and enhancing this system as I embark on future projects, confident in having a solid framework to support me through each phase.

  • September 22, 2025

    I’ve spent considerable time feeling like a failure, not in my job or academics, but in my capacity to simply concentrate. I would create all of these to-do list, yet my mind felt like a chaotic whirlwind. I attempted everything from, buying millions of planners and an array of stickers to the “ten-minute rule” to postpone checking notifications, meditation apps to soothe my racing thoughts, and rigid time-boxing schedules to keep me on course. I even experimented with screen-time app blockers that felt like digital restraints. Still, despite my best intentions, I found myself endlessly scrolling through feeds, diving into rabbit holes, and feeling constantly distracted.

    I believed the issue had to have started with me. My willpower might be weak. My self-discipline might be insufficient. I was buying into the belief that the answer to a world filled with digital distractions was to simply be “indistractable,” to outlast the algorithms with pure determination. It’s a tempting thought, isn’t it? The self-help industry flourishes on it, promising a glimmer of hope that feels almost cruel in its simplicity. Then I came across Johann Hari’s “Stolen Focus”, and everything shifted.

    Hari presents the idea of “cruel optimism,” a term created by cultural theorist Lauren Berlant. It suggests that we are being sold solutions that are fundamentally not enough for the magnitude of the problem. My personal time-boxing was not simply an insignificant tool, but it was a “band-aid” for a “severed limb.” It was like I was apart of a fight, but I was the one being told to bring a knife in a gun fight and I would get through it. This new perspective brought relief and was a necessary wake-up call. It’s not that these personal strategies are useless, but they serve as “authentic optimism” only when integrated into a broader approach. While we can improve our individual habits, we cannot overlook the environment in which we are fighting. The battle for our focus is not 100% created by ourselves, it’s a systemic war executed by powerful external forces.

    This understanding led me to the book’s deeper, more troubling revelation, which is the fundamental issue is surveillance capitalism. The platforms we use daily aren’t free and our attention and data serve as the currency. The true clients are not us, but the advertisers and corporations looking to sell us products. This business model clarifies why every app is carefully crafted to be as addictive as possible. Behavioral scientists are hired to create hooks and triggers that draw us back, and as Hari points out, the algorithms have “learned” that anger and outrage serve as the most effective hooks. Our natural negativity bias is leveraged for profit, resulting in a society that is not only less focused but also more divided and discontented.

    So, how do we move forward? If the problem is systemic, then the solution must be collective. Hari compellingly argues that we need to advocate for a digital environment that prioritizes human objectives, not just corporate metrics. He references historical examples like we’ve collectively created regulations to prohibit harmful products like lead paint or to guarantee food safety, we can pursue the same standards from our digital tools. This could involve moving away from surveillance capitalism towards business models that do not depend on monopolizing our attention. This isn’t a quest for personal willpower; it’s a struggle for a healthier, more focused society.

    This viewpoint has entirely shifted my understanding of my own challenges and my role as a researcher. I’m no longer simply attempting to manage my time, but I’m working to comprehend and navigate an inherently flawed system. My individual attempts to concentrate have evolved into a form of resistance. The irritation I experience when I get sucked into an endless stream, even when I know I am wasting my time as I am scrolling, it serves as a signal, not of a personal weakness, but of a structural issue. This collective frustration, as Hari highlights, lays a strong groundwork for transformation. It represents a shared, unspoken recognition that there must be a more effective way to engage with technology. The ultimate goal is to repair the system itself, creating an environment where deep thinking is not an extraordinary skill but a straightforward, attainable action.

    This no longer only pertains to me or my task list, but it concerns all of us.

  • 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.

  • Creating Significant Fashion Communities in the Attention Economy

    September 1st, 2025

    For as long as I can remember, I’ve been interested by the detail of storytelling. My journey, from earning a communication degree at SUNY Cortland to currently pursuing a Master’s in Interactive Media, has been driven by a desire to comprehend how fashion brands can cultivate authentic communities. My ambition is to become a Social Media Manager who gets to craft those compelling digital narratives that resonate with people and since I enjoy the fashion world, to combine both of my passions together and become a Social Media Manager for a fashion brand.

    Recently, however, I’ve been wrestling with a significant question at the core of my chosen profession. The very platforms where we narrate these stories are structured to disrupt our attention. So, how can we create a genuine community when we are all existing in an attention economy that thrives on our distractions? This question has weighed heavily on my mind, particularly after engaging with research such as Johann Hari’s Stolen Focus and reflecting on that familiar feeling of being eternally “stuck in a scroll.”

    Reading the introduction and chapters one through three of Stolen Focus was genuinely eye-opening for me. In an interview discussing the book, Johann Hari compellingly argues that the shame we experience regarding our lack of focus is misguided. It’s not a flaw in our character. He outlines how our digital environment is designed to capture our attention, with elements like the infinite scroll and algorithmic feeds aimed at keeping our attention for extended periods. It’s a business model that exchanges profound thought for superficial, relentless engagement.

    I was curious to observe this phenomenon firsthand, I undertook a straightforward experiment that proved to be unexpectedly challenging. The New York Times’ “Test Your Focus” exercise, which the objective was simply to gaze at a painting for ten minutes. Seemed simple, right? It was far from it. Within the initial minutes, my brain felt like it was throwing a tantrum. I experienced a genuine, physical urge to glance at my phone, switch tabs, or do literally anything else.

    Yet I pushed through, and a shift occurred. I pushed past the mental chaos, and the artwork, which was Whistler’s “Nocturne in Blue and Silver” truly began to spring to life. I picked up the details I had completely overlooked earlier. For example, the soft glow of the lights, the serene atmosphere, the single figure on the shore. My focus transformed from a quick glance to a profound, fixed stare. In that moment, I recognized the difference between merely consuming content and genuinely attending. It served as the ideal real-world illustration of the crisis Hari discusses.

    This brings me back to the primary question I’m confronting as I get closer to my future career. If everyone is trained to scroll past everything, how can you create stories that genuinely matter?

    I’m beginning to suspect the solution doesn’t lie in producing even louder, faster content to prevail in the battle for attention. The path ahead, particularly in a creative field like fashion, must revolve around developing a different type of environment. It’s about crafting materials that earn and respect our audience’s focus. It’s about progressing beyond pursuing viral metrics to forge genuine connections, something marketing specialists are beginning to refer to as “slow content.”

    What might that entail in practical terms? Perhaps it involves a beautifully composed article, a mini-documentary about a collection, or an interactive lookbook that invites exploration. It’s about utilizing a platform like Instagram to narrate a coherent story over time, rather than merely presenting a disorganized assembly of images. It’s about creating dialogues and nurture a community where individuals feel like they are part of something, rather than just a target for advertisements.

    The skills that I will be learning in my Master’s program will extend beyond just becoming experienced with the tools, but they’re also going to be about comprehending the individuals on the other side of the screen. My ambition is to avoid becoming yet another contributor to the overwhelming digital noise. I aspire to be a storyteller who produces content that deserves to be noticed. It’s a significant challenge, but my brief ten-minute experiment with a painting reminded me of a fundamental truth that genuine value lies not in the continuous scrolling, but in the instances that compel us to pause. That’s the type of work I aim to create.

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