Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about balance.

Balance in movement.
Balance in food.
Balance in rest.
Balance in ambition.

And recently… balance with social media.

As someone who works in hypnotherapy and yoga, I often talk about nervous system regulation, presence and calm. Yet I also run a business. And running a business in 2026 often means being visible online with regular posting, sharing, engaging & creating.

This is something I find really challenging. How to be a positive role model to your children about phone usage when I am posting every day!

Also, I've noticed that the more I consume short, fast, loud content the harder it becomes to sit quietly, read without distraction or stay with one thing at a time.

I recently listened to an episode of The Diary of a CEO discussing “brain rot” and the impact of short-form content. And I’ve been reading the work of Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation.

The explanation is simple.

The amygdala is your brain’s alarm system. It scans for danger and reacts quickly.

The prefrontal cortex is your wise decision-maker. It helps you concentrate, problem solve and respond calmly.

When we constantly scroll through short videos (the kind served up endlessly on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube Shorts) the alarm system becomes louder.

The positive, clear thinking part becomes quieter.

In very simple terms:
We become more reactive and wired and our ability to think logically and rationally decreases.

Short clips give us quick dopamine hits. Tiny spikes of stimulation. Over and over again. It keeps the brain on subtle red alert.

Television is different. When we watch something longer, a full episode, a documentary, a film, we settle into a story. We think. We feel. We discuss it afterwards. The brain engages differently.

But rapid-fire scrolling doesn’t allow that depth. It trains attention to fragment.

And this brings me back to balance.

Because perhaps the real issue isn’t social media itself, but where our attention is living.

Are we choosing where it goes?
Or is it being pulled away from us?

Balance today may mean building boundaries.

Keeping phones out of the bedroom.
Protecting sleep as something sacred.
Asking: what is the first thing I do in the morning?

If the day begins with emails, headlines and comparison, our nervous system starts on the back foot.

But if the day begins with movement, breath, light, maybe ten minutes of exercise, we start with intention. And when we start well, the rest of the day often follows more easily.

This is where yoga and exercise fit beautifully.

A morning walk.
A short strength session.
Five minutes of stretching.

One good habit creates momentum.

We also need to notice our algorithms.

What is showing up on your feed?

Outrage?
Comparison?
Fear?
Unrealistic bodies?
Bad news on repeat?

The algorithm learns from what we linger on. And over time, it shapes our emotional landscape more than we realise.

Finding balance doesn’t mean deleting every app.

It means asking:

• Is this nourishing or depleting?

• Could I watch something longer than ten minutes instead of scrolling?

• Could I leave my phone downstairs tonight?

• Could I begin tomorrow differently?

In hypnotherapy we talk about repetition wiring the mind.

In yoga we practise returning to the present moment.

Perhaps balance now is about protecting our attention as fiercely as we protect our diet or our exercise.

Just my musings for the week... The podcast I have shared below is fascinating (if this topic interests you). If you'd like to hear it from the experts, hit the link below.

Take good care of yourselves!

Jo x

Check out my website to learn more about what I can offer you with Yoga or Hypnotherapy: https://www.josteelewellness.com

Here's your link to the Podcast - Diary of a CEO: Brain Rot Emergency:

https://youtu.be/EScgrk7oEwU?si=HDc3KChMrsCxugMg