Want to cut down screen time? Here's what to know about the 'brain stacking' TikTok trend
Ever picked up your phone to check one notification, only to find yourself scrolling through social media for the next 30 minutes?
A growing online trend is encouraging people to break that habit by turning to books, puzzles, and other offline activities instead.
"Brain stacking" offers a simple alternative to mindless scrolling: keep a few things that engage your mind within reach and turn to them when you feel the urge to open an app.
How did it start?
Brain stacking gained traction on TikTok, where creators began sharing videos of their routines using books, puzzle books, journals, and other screen-free activities. The videos often feature quiet, satisfying sounds, from turning pages and writing in notebooks to filling in Sudoku grids, giving them an ASMR-like quality.
TikTok creator Mandy Rulez has helped popularize the trend through videos of her own brain-stacking routines. Her approach typically features a collection of activities she can work through during a dedicated period, encouraging viewers to spend time with books and brain games instead of automatically reaching for their phones.
@mandyrulez first time being the blueprint kinda nervous. THANK YOU to everyone tagging me in your recreations, there’s so many I can’t keep up but I see you and am so happy to see you utilizing the library, learning to love sudoku and using old jars as to go cups! ❤️ and to those of you ripping off my exact editing style and pretending it was your original thought…I see you too. #brainstack #asmr #library #sudoku #analog ♬ original sound - lexi
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The trend has since inspired other creators to share their own versions, whether they are reading at home, working through puzzles at a library, or setting aside time to journal before starting the day. While the activities and settings vary, the common thread is the effort to make offline hobbies a more accessible part of everyday life.
How do you brain-stack?
The idea behind brain stacking is straightforward: gather a few activities that keep you mentally engaged, put them somewhere accessible, and set aside time to enjoy them instead of scrolling on your phone.
A typical brain stack might include a novel, a journal, a Sudoku book, a crossword puzzle, or drawing materials. Others might prefer nonfiction books, word games, a planner, or a creative hobby they have been meaning to revisit. The activities do not need to be related, and there is no required combination to follow.
@hannahanniex Total stack time: 1 hour 1 minute Watching this back is so fascinating because I can see how I go from being tired and not feeling great, to absolutely full of energy by the end of the hour. Lots of people have asked me when I do these. And I do them at any time of the day. Usually before deep work or afterwards. I had been feeling a bit of brain overwhelm today. I’m spinning a few different plates and projects and running out of hours in the day to complete everything. I am still recovering from my burnout, but I’ve come to lean on my stack as a way to replenish the energy that the day has taken, and feel good again. Or to act as a circuit breaker during dysregulation. It’s been roughly 9 months of exaggerated effort understanding how to hack my brain, what works for me as someone who is late-diagnosed ADHD, and whose job made them really bloody dumb. This routine has become an emotional, mental and physical crutch in times of crisis and desperation, and in times of excitement and joy. I’m sharing these, along with the research that has gone into finding a routine that is doable and nourishing for me, in case it helps someone else who needs to feel like they can put their brain on ice, too. The brain stack trend was originally created by @Mandy Rulez 🪐✨🔮 who inspired me to share my own. #adhdwomen #burnoutrecoverytips #burnout #brainstack #brainrot ♬ original sound - hannahanniex
You can also tailor your brain stack to your schedule. Some people incorporate it into their morning routines to ease into the day, while others use it in the evening to wind down. It can also be something you do during a break, when waiting for an appointment, or whenever you notice yourself opening an app simply because you have nothing else to do.
There is no fixed duration, either. You can spend a few minutes reading or solving a puzzle, or set aside a longer stretch of time to work through several activities. The point is not to finish everything in your stack or accomplish as much as possible. It is to give yourself an alternative to reaching for your phone out of habit.
If you want to try it, start with activities you already enjoy. Pick a book you have been meaning to read, grab a notebook, or find a puzzle you would like to solve. Place them near your bed, desk, or favorite reading spot so they are easy to reach when you need a break from your screen.
@mandyrulez Okay let me know how we feel about the new additions to the library routine! Today we have: the iced latte returning (and hopefully never leaving again), one page journal entry, sudoku, NYT mini, and Honey by Imani Thompson! #library #morningroutine #brainstack #sudoku #paperasmr ♬ original sound - Mandy Rulez 🪐✨🔮
You can also put your phone on silent or leave it in another room to make checking notifications less tempting. If you prefer to listen to music while reading or journaling, you can do that, too. The goal is not to follow a strict set of rules but to make room for activities that hold your attention differently.
Most importantly, you do not need to buy new books, stationery, or other supplies to create a brain stack. Use what you have and change the activities whenever you feel like trying something different. Whether you spend 10 minutes reading or an hour switching between a journal and a puzzle book, brain stacking can be as simple as choosing what to do with your free time before your phone chooses for you.
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