Scroll Less, Think More: A Smarter New Year’s Resolution

Every January, we make the same optimistic promises: exercise more, eat fewer carbs masquerading as joy, and finally unsubscribe from emails we never open. This year, consider a resolution that could genuinely improve your life—and maybe your blood pressure: sharpening your critical thinking across all your internet use, especially social media.

The internet isn’t just a tool; it’s an emotional obstacle course. Social platforms, comment sections, headlines, and even search results are designed to grab attention first and ask questions… never. Scroll long enough, and you’ll encounter outrage, miracle cures, breaking news that isn’t actually breaking, and someone yelling in all caps about “what THEY don’t want you to know.” That’s your signal to slow down.

A strong New Year’s resolution is to pause before you click, like, share, or spiral. Ask simple questions: Who created this? What’s the evidence? Is this meant to inform—or just to provoke? Not everything online is false, but plenty of it is incomplete, misleading, or stripped of context like a headline wearing gym shorts in winter.

Another useful habit is recognizing emotional manipulation. If a post makes you instantly angry, fearful, or weirdly smug, it’s probably working exactly as intended. Strong emotions shut down critical thinking faster than a bad Wi-Fi signal. Commit to breathing before reacting. The internet will still be there. Unfortunately.

You might also resolve to broaden your digital diet. Algorithms thrive on predictability. They’ll happily feed you the same opinions forever, like an echo chamber with push notifications. Follow credible sources with differing perspectives—not to argue, but to remember reality is bigger than your feed.

Finally, set limits. Endless scrolling doesn’t equal being informed; it equals being exhausted. Decide when to log off and protect your attention like it matters—because it does.

This resolution isn’t about distrusting everything online. It’s about thinking intentionally. In a digital world built for speed and reaction, choosing thoughtfulness may be the most radical habit you adopt all year.

The late Carl Sagan once said, “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle.”

So, here’s to a Bamboozle Free 2026!

(Tim Herrera is the author of “Public Speaking: Simple Steps to Improve Your Skills” and “Mastering Media: Strategies for Effective Communication in the Digital Age.”  You’ll