How to Cure Brain Rot

In partnership with

Hey there,

Lately, a lot of people feel like their brains are quietly melting.

After all, it’s hard to argue when you realize you’ve spent four hours on social media watching a guy slice soap while Minecraft plays in the corner.

In fact, "brain rot" was Oxford’s word of the year—usage jumped 230% in 2024 alone.

Honestly, we’re throwing it around like a real diagnosis at this point. But don’t beat yourself up just yet.

This isn’t just a TikTok-era problem.

Henry David Thoreau was complaining about "brain rot" back in 1854.

The only difference is that now we’ve industrialized it—reels, dual-screen videos, and an algorithmic IV drip hooked straight into your brain.

People are noticing the effects too: after an hour of scrolling, they don’t feel smarter or happier, just hollow and a little bit dumber.

Studies show the average person taps their phone over 2,600 times a day and checks it 58 times—each session lasting about 75 seconds. (Spoiler: that’s not a good thing.)

So, are we doomed to devolve into NPCs, brainwashed by endless content?

Well, not exactly…

The real problem isn't the apps. It’s the belief that we have no control over our actions.

Your phone isn’t holding you hostage. TikTok isn’t forcing you to binge-watch fail videos at 2 a.m.

You have agency—even if it doesn’t always feel like it.

Believing otherwise creates a self-fulfilling loop: “I’ll finally get my life together once I beat my internet addiction.”

But that mindset just delays action. If you think you're powerless, you’ll act powerless.

Meanwhile, you make 35,000 decisions every single day—all opportunities to reclaim control.

Of course, society loves to hand out illusions of control — take elections, for example.

Yes, voting is important, but your individual vote isn’t moving the whole country. It’s like arguing with the poker dealer over your hand while everyone else keeps playing.

You don't control the cards you’re dealt—you control how you play them.

So, how do you actually "cure" brain rot and start living intentionally?

First, protect your mental posture.

Start your mornings slow—no social media, no email, no notifications. Just coffee and silence.

Give your imagination room to stretch before the world storms in.

Second, delete the apps and notifications that consistently hijack your attention.

If TikTok is your kryptonite, delete it. No, really—just delete it.

You don’t need to know the second CapCut updates or someone likes your photo.

Finally, do more real things. Go for a walk. Cook a meal. Meet a friend for coffee.

Move through the world physically, not just virtually.

The more you live in the real world, the less appealing the fake one becomes.

The internet isn’t real life. It's just flashing pictures on a tiny screen.

So, log off more often—and go live a life worth being present for.

Have a wonderful week, all.
Catch you offline - Scott (@motivatedscott).

The #1 AI Newsletter for Business Leaders

Join 400,000+ executives and professionals who trust The AI Report for daily, practical AI updates.

Built for business—not engineers—this newsletter delivers expert prompts, real-world use cases, and decision-ready insights.

No hype. No jargon. Just results.

Subscribe free—trusted by leaders

Love content like this? Then you’ll love my podcast…

Listen to my top 100 health podcast with over 6 million downloads on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Up next on the podcast:

• What I Learned From My Twenties