Instead of trying to quit scrolling altogether, consider a more realistic antidote to “brain rot”: learning. In a world filled with short-form content that chips away at our focus, committing to something structured—like a course, certification, or new skill—can help rebuild attention span, deepen understanding, and bring a sense of clarity back to our thinking. Whether it’s career-related or purely for fun, making time to learn offers not just growth, but a refreshing way to feel more present, capable, and fulfilled.
TL;DR
- Short-form content is hurting our attention spans and focus
- Quitting scrolling isn’t realistic for everyone, so we need a counterbalance
- Structured learning helps rebuild concentration and mental clarity
- Certifications and courses deepen knowledge and sharpen skills
- Learning with others brings fresh perspectives and insights
- Organized learning leads to more structured, calmer thinking
- Pursuing learning (even just for fun) can boost fulfillment and joy
The Antidote to Brain Rot
In the age of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and AI summaries, be a Duolingo, an Ultimate Guitar Tabs, a MasterClass. (Or you could be a Gratitude Plus. That’s a shameless plug of my husband’s app.)
Don’t get me wrong, I crave a good old-fashioned morning scroll: puppy Buca sleeping in my lap, a double shot of espresso on the arm of my couch, and an endless universe of videos tailored specifically to my interests. But is it good for my brain? Well…
A study by a journalism graduate student at San Diego State University found that just a few minutes spent on TikTok before reading long-form content could harm concentration. Similarly, nearly 50% of users surveyed by TikTok said that videos longer than a minute were “stressful.”
As I’m sure you are, I’m acutely aware that the amount of time I spend scrolling is not good for my attention span, my mental health, my sleep, and the list goes on. But the reality is, it’s not going anywhere right now. Plus, content is my job! So instead of trying to quit cold turkey, I had to take a good, hard look at what I could do to counter the brain rot these short-form content apps were causing.
Enter my certification era. While taking on a new job at Spin Sucks (which includes getting certified in the PESO Model®), I decided to get certified to teach yoga as well.
The thing is, I already know how to do yoga and a lot about PESO. Why should I take the time to get certified?
To put it plainly, I wanted to stop feeling myself getting dumber.
The constant TikTok scrolling, letting any information posted by Joe Shmo affect my way of thinking, was starting to really get to me. I felt my attention span getting shorter and shorter. I saw myself citing TikTok as a primary source, or even worse, lying that I read it somewhere! I couldn’t watch a full episode of TV without reaching for my phone. I needed to get information straight from the source in long-form, challenging, and curious format. I needed to touch grass!
You may understand what I’ve been feeling, regardless of your average screentime. (I’m not sharing mine.) The internet is no longer just a place we visit. We are constantly in a state of consumption and decision-making, and sometimes it’s nice to just water the seeds in our brain and let them grow into flowers before the blue light kills them. This is why I’m pursuing learning challenges right now, and I think you should too.
Improve Your Attention Span
Sitting down (or in the case of yoga, sometimes standing up) for a set amount of time with a structured curriculum is a great way to improve focus and concentration.
When I’m working on a module in the PESO Model Certification, I know that window of time is dedicated to that given topic—whether it’s:
- Building my content ecosystem
- Anchor topics
- Targeting the right earned opportunities
- Building an engagement strategy that builds trust
No scroll breaks. No Slack messages. No TV on in the background. Just me, Gini, and PESO.
I experience a similar sensation of improved focus during my Yoga Teacher Training (YTT). Two hours in the evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays, it’s just me, the instructor on Zoom, and my 55 colored markers scribbling notes in my notebook. It’s a huge commitment, but it’s simultaneously a huge relief to be forced to spend my evenings doing something productive, focused, and curious instead of mindless and harmful. When we’re on the mat on Saturdays and Sundays, I give myself the gift of leaving my phone in my bag. (Groundbreaking, I know).
Get Better at What You Do
I’ve been practicing yoga about 3-4 times a week for 2.5 years. I’ve been learning about PESO for almost four years. I’m not exactly a beginner at either, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a huge opportunity for me to learn a ton in both areas. I’m taking something I’m already good at and making it even better, which allows me to advance my career and yoga practice, better understand my work, and, hopefully, one day become both a PESO and a yoga evangelist. An added bonus is the career mobility and specialization that getting certified provides.
Gain New Perspectives
With certification comes peers, or other students from whom you can learn. A big part of both the PESO Certification and YTT is discussion with others taking the course. The shared perspectives my peers offer allow me to see my work with PESO and my yoga practice with a new pair of eyes, and actually take it even further.
Build Hard, Demonstrable Skills
No matter how hard or frequently I work, sometimes I just feel like I want a guidebook—a list of definitions, need-to-know ideas, a roadmap. I want to really understand, not just have a semblance of an idea. I want skills! Getting certified gives me that.
Being aware of the existence of earned media is not the same as having a strategy that tells me what to pursue and what not to pursue. Knowing that owned media is important is not the same as knowing how to build an anchor hub. Practicing an Anjaneyasana crescent lunge is not the same as having a neutral pelvis, knee over ankle. You get the picture.
Structured Thinking
Something I’ve really enjoyed about taking a course is how organized it makes my thoughts feel, if only for a short while. When I lie down in bed at night, my brain sounds like this: “I’m tired, okay, wait, I have to remember to order Celeste’s gift, and tomorrow I’ll do my returns. Wait, which meetings do I have tomorrow? Okay, what time is my yoga class again? Did I text my mom back about Easter? I don’t remember if I defrosted the chicken for Thursday.”
In ancient Sanskrit philosophy (hear me out), energetic thinking like this aligns with Rajas, a force that translates to passion/ activity. Calm thinking aligns with Sattva, or clarity and balance.
Taking a course or a certification allows me to put the deadbolt on the doors in my brain, allowing only thoughts related to either yoga or PESO. It gives me calm, clear, and disciplined, or Sattvic thoughts.
Having organized thoughts allows me to plan my work day better, focus more when I’m reading or writing, and reach a more meditative state during yoga.
Find Your Fulfillment
My dad is perhaps the world’s biggest Dead Head (Grateful Dead fan). Actually, I will revise that statement. My dad is perhaps the world’s biggest music fan. He is passionate about finding new artists, supporting local radio, and sharing music with the people he loves. We go to a concert together probably every month. If I can’t go, he usually invites one of my friends or sometimes a stranger outside of the venue. Dead seriously. Naturally, I always thought he should learn to play music too. When I would suggest he learn the guitar, he would always laugh and say, “No, the guitar is too sacred. I could never.” To which I called BS.
My brother and I got my dad a pack of guitar lessons for Christmas, and I gave him my old guitar. (I figured the guilt of it being a gift would force him into going). Six years later, my dad goes to his guitar teacher, Todd, every single week. He calls it therapy.
My dad is a Math teacher, so needless to say, taking guitar lessons is not furthering his career in a traditional way. But the important thing is, it brings him joy, makes him feel accomplished, and helps him cultivate Sattva.
If it wasn’t obvious, the learning you choose to pursue does not have to be directly related to what you do for work. If it is, that’s a nice bonus, but what’s most important is to feel fulfilled. Choose to learn a new language, take a pottery workshop, become certified to teach pilates, or learn to play the piano. The world is a harsh, scary place right now. The things that make you feel closer to your true self are what will help you thrive in spite of that.
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