I recently took a month off my favorite social media app, Instagram, and it was truly amazing! Today I’m sharing Real Life: Quitting Instagram for a month and what I learned.
A little over a month ago I decided to take a break from Instagram. As a blogger, I truly love Instagram. It is an amazing space for me to share my blog photos, hone in on my photography skills, connect with fellow bloggers, keep track of food trends, and keep up with what is happening in the food blog world. Personally it is also a great place to stay connected with my friends and family around the world.
But unfortunately my relationship with the once every once in a while photo sharing app has changed recently. Over the last year, I spent way too much time and focus on the app. It is the first things I reach for in the morning, when I’m bored, and at night. And even worse, I’ve totally developed Instagram envy!
As in, I’d see photos of people I don’t even know, their perfect seeming life, perfect wardrobe, incredible trips, angelic families… and I’d get that “I want that too” feeling. Except, in reality I don’t want that because I adore my life. BLARGH! Talk about a crappy feeling!
So it was time to take a break. A good long break. For me this meant, saying bye-bye and deleted the app from my phone for a month (minimum). With no Instagram and minimal Facebook (no app on my phone and only posting recipes for the blog), it was a social media free month!
Quitting Instagram was hard the first few days. I would find myself getting the itch to post fun stuff happening in my life like new restaruants, fun date nights, cute kid stuff, or parties. Or I notived every time I got 2 seconds of boredom, I so want to numbingly scroll through Instagram. However after the first 4 days, my anxious Instagram itch started disappearing.
Now after a month without Instagram, this is what I’ve learned:
1. Less anxious and scattered brain.
The constant stimulation of Instagram and need to provide content makes me totally anxious. It just does. No more reaching for my phone for that constant distraction to interfere with my train of thought! Less phone checking = less scattered brain. And less scattered brain= more focused on whatever I’m doing.
2. I do have more time!!!
Scrolling, photo taking, writing a caption and more scrolling. It takes time! Since I stopped ‘gramming I find myself with extra time here and there to do a little extra for me.
3. Fewer reasons to procrastinate.
When I’m blogging and feeling stuck, I immediately turn to Instagram for inspiration but often that turns into a ton of wasted time. Now without the constant stimulation, I will take a break, wash some dishes, do some yoga handstands, make some tea, whatever it is, and it way more effective.
4. Less screen time means being more present.
I am constantly working on staying out of my own head, out of the future, and out of my to-do lists. And without Instagram, this is much easier!
5. I’m a better friend.
Since I don’t have everyone’s photos at my fingertips all the time, I miss my friends more which means I make more of an effort to reach out to them. Win-win.
6. Those who matter still reach out.
Without social media, it’s easy to know who your true friends are. True friends still reach out, check in and send invites regardless of social media presence. It’s a much more fulfilling feeling than a photo like.
7. I am not itching to travel every second of the day.
Because I’m not flipping through the 1 million travel pages I follow! And I’m much more grateful for being able to travel at all!
8. Way less visual comparison.
My life is awesome and I don’t need an Instagram photo to prove it. It’s natural to see others’ photos and compare. But once I unplugged from everyone else’s seemingly perfect lives, my own life just seems so much better.
9. I feel mentally healthier.
I know how this sounds, but really I just feel way less cluttered and blargh in my thoughts. Life is a little clearer when I’m not thinking about social media!
10. I am happier.
Plain and simple. By cutting back on my phone time in general, I find myself happier and more grateful. Not a bad feeling.
😃
Will I return to the app? I might but in a much less frequent capacity. This time, I aim to be much more mindful of how much I use it, who I follow, how it makes me feel, and how much I share.
No more pulling my phone out to scroll every time I’m bored, or feeling like I have to document every little things that happens in my life. Also if I start feeling that super gross comparison envy, I’m going to log out, step away from my phone, and do something nice for myself.
Primarily I want to continue using the app for blog related content and the occasional parenting/life adventure. And when I do use the site for scrolling, I hope to do it mindfully.
Social media is not going anywhere, and I am totally cool with that. Hey I am a millennial after all! But for me, finding a healthy balance between using social media for the blog and for me is key. Because at the end of the day, real life is way more fun so I’m off to live it up!
Originally posted 2018-08-31 10:24:00.
Shadi says
Valerie says