TikTok trend Brain Stacking encourages analog activities

A new viral trend called ‘brain stacking’ is gaining popularity on TikTok and Instagram Reels, encouraging users to replace digital scrolling with analog, mentally stimulating activities.

The practice involves assembling a collection of items such as books, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and journals to keep within arm’s reach. By having these activities readily available, users aim to swap ‘doomscrolling’ for tasks that require concentration, creativity, or critical thinking.

Creators are incorporating these stacks into repeatable morning or nighttime routines. The trend is part of a broader movement of habit-stacking, where users package different offline activities into structured daily rituals to reduce screen time.