The Summer Experiment: A Season Without Scrolling

Source: Image by Simon Wilkes on Unsplash

I've given this summer a nickname: The Summer Experiment. It's not about disappearing into a silent retreat, renouncing modern technology, or embracing the latest wellness trend. Instead, it's simply an experiment in limiting my time on screens so I can become more intentional about where my attention goes each day.

A few weeks ago, I realised I was spending more time online than I wanted to. I would pick up my phone to do one thing, and twenty minutes later, I was left wondering where the time had gone. A quick message check easily became a tour through social media, email, and whatever else the internet threw my way.

At the same time, I had noticed some new patterns. My eyes often felt tired. My attention felt fragmented. Moments that had once held a pause, like waiting, boredom, or daydreaming, were increasingly filled with scrolling. On top of it all, I felt as though I was constantly being pulled in different directions.

The truth is, none of this felt catastrophic. I wasn't unhappy or anxious, and I wasn't planning to renounce technology. But I did begin to notice a quiet unease about how easily my attention was being captured.

I'm interested in attention because it shapes experience. What we notice becomes our reality. What we focus on tends to grow. Attention influences our relationships, creativity, and overall sense of well-being. In many ways, the quality of our lives reflects the quality of our attention.

Research has shown that frequent social media use can contribute to distraction, comparison, and mental fatigue. On the other hand, reducing its use has been associated with improved well-being and reduced symptoms of anxiety or depression. Other studies have shown that frequent email checking can increase stress, whereas reducing checking frequency can support a calmer, more focused mind.

The reality is that technology itself isn't the problem. Our relationship with it, however, can be dysfunctional. That's what happened to me. When I realised this, I wanted to become more aware of how I used technology and how it affected my attention.

So, this summer, for three months, I've decided to run The Summer Experiment. I've deleted all social media apps from my phone and logged out of the platforms on my laptop. My aim is to check email only once a day and minimise screentime as much as possible. It's nothing extreme, really, but it's enough to start noticing some changes.

Currently, I'm only two weeks in, so this is not the conclusion of the experiment. But in case you're curious about creating your own version of it, here are the three practices the experiment is grounded on:

1. Practice noticing things.

One unexpected effect of constant digital documentation is that experience can become filtered through potential sharing. We take a photograph, consider a caption, or mentally convert moments into content. So this summer, I'm practicing noticing without capturing. A sunset doesn't need to be photographed. A thought doesn't need to be posted. A moment doesn't need to be turned into anything else. Sometimes it can simply be experienced.

Already, I've been paying extra attention to small, easily missed details. The sound of birds at dawn. The bumblebee feeding off my lavender. The summer light on the kitchen table. The smell of flowers in the evening air. In a busy, noisy, distracted world, learning to direct attention deliberately feels incredibly restorative.

2. Start a summer journal.

When I feel the urge to reach for my phone, I reach for my journal instead. Some days I explore a question that has been on my mind. Other days, I sketch or brainstorm. Sometimes I write complete nonsense. All of it counts. What I love about journalling is that it creates a space where nothing has to be polished, productive, or shared. It's one of the few places left in modern life where we can think without performing.

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Many of us have become so accustomed to creating things for other people that we've forgotten the pleasure of creating something just for ourselves. So if you're tempted to try this, let your journal be messy. Let it be unfinished. Let it contain crossed-out ideas, random observations, sketches, dreams, and questions. Remember: this is not a manuscript for anyone else to read. This is your playbook. It doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to be you.

3. When you feel restless, ask yourself, "What do I feel drawn to today?"

One of the first things I've noticed is how quickly the urge to fill every spare moment appears. The instant I feel bored, restless, or in between activities, part of me still wants to reach for my phone to somehow 'feel productive'. So, now, when that restlessness kicks in, I ask myself: What do I feel drawn to today?

Sometimes the answer is reading a new book, or returning to an old favourite. Other days it's gardening, going for a walk, practising yoga, working on a jigsaw puzzle, or simply hanging with my dog. The activity itself matters less than the mindset behind it. Rather than automatically consuming whatever an algorithm places in front of us, we get the opportunity to choose what genuinely interests us. And if nothing comes to mind at first, that's useful information too. It may simply mean we've forgotten how to listen before we act.

As I write this, I have no idea how this experiment will turn out. Perhaps I'll notice significant changes in my focus, creativity, or sense of well-being. Perhaps the effects will be much subtler than that.

What I do know is that after two weeks, I already feel more present in my own life. There is less noise and less urgency. And, I can already feel more space to notice, wonder, or simply be.