Shifting Perspectives: Swap Endless Scrolling of Negativity for Uplifting Work Efficiency
In a world where negativity often seems to prevail, one individual embarked on a transformative journey to combat the impact of negative habits and thoughts. The psychological concept that served as the foundation for this journey was cognitive restructuring, a core technique in cognitive therapy and positive psychology.
Cognitive restructuring is all about identifying and challenging automatic negative thoughts or cognitive distortions, then replacing them with more balanced and constructive alternatives. For our speaker, this process meant viewing negative actions or experiences through a new, positive lens—such as seeing setbacks as opportunities for learning and growth rather than mere failures or setbacks.
One key technique in this process is reframing, a coping skill that changes how one interprets a situation, thought, or behaviour to generate a more positive or empowering meaning. By recontextualizing experiences and focusing on potential benefits or positive aspects, individuals can contribute to resilience, optimism, and enhanced psychological well-being.
Our speaker's journey began with recognising the negative impact of doomscrolling—the practice of obsessively checking online news for updates, especially on social media feeds, with the expectation that the news will be bad. To break free from this cycle, the speaker turned to YouTube, only to find that it too took a mental and emotional toll.
Enter Struthless' video essay on doomscrolling, which labels it as an addiction to negativity and exposes its different forms and costs. The speaker found that reframing their issues in this way—viewing the struggle with YouTube addiction as adding peace of mind instead of subtracting it—made the challenge seem easier and more possible.
The speaker applied this reframing strategy to two habits: breaking the YouTube impulse and starting the habit of getting up early to write every day. The results were encouraging. On the third day, things improved significantly, with the speaker getting up to write for the first time in ages.
The journey, however, was not without its challenges. The speaker faced major withdrawals and justifications during the first few days of the experiment. But with reminders in their environment to help them remember their goals and what they were gaining by making changes, they persevered.
As the speaker continues to use the reframing strategy, they feel motivated to start habits they want and cull habits they don't. They are curious about others' thoughts on motivational reframing and encourage readers to share their opinions in the comments.
In a world where negativity can often seem overwhelming, the speaker's journey serves as a reminder that a shift in perspective can make all the difference. By reframing negative actions as adding positive outcomes, individuals can replace maladaptive thought patterns with constructive ones, promoting a growth mindset and more optimistic outlook on life challenges. Until next time!
[1] Beck, J. S. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. New York: International Universities Press. [2] Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and emotion in psychotherapy. Secaucus, N.J.: Citadel Press. [3] Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York: Guilford Press. [4] Seligman, M. E. P. (2006). Learned optimism. New York: Vintage Books. [5] Tennen, H., & Affleck, G. W. (1999). Coping with cancer: an overview of psychological interventions. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 17(12), 3028-3038.
In this transformative journey, the individual began exploring the intersection of novel writing and mental health, recognizing that writing every day could be a way to promote personal growth and enhance psychological well-being. Simultaneously, they delved into education and self-development, studying cognitive restructuring techniques from works like Beck's "Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders" and Seligman's "Learned Optimism."
To combat the addiction to negativity they discovered through doomscrolling, they enrolled in health-and-wellness programs focusing on science-based lifestyle changes. One such program encouraged them to replace negative habits such as doomscrolling with constructive alternatives like yoga and meditation, thereby fostering a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.
Emboldened by their success in reframing negative actions, they set out to integrate cognitive restructuring in other areas of their life. They pursued education and self-development by enrolling in courses on science, health-and-wellness, and lifestyle, as well as personal growth and positive psychology. Their long-term goal was to harness this knowledge in crafting a novel that would inspire readers to embrace a more optimistic outlook on life challenges.
