Most people use multiple social media platforms as methods of presentation, connection, or entertainment. And all of these reasons are valid. As humans, we naturally crave attention. We want to share what we’re doing and we want to see what others are doing. Also, doing nothing is excruciatingly boring.
But once I checked the screen time usage on my phone, I was ashamed of the number of hours I spent on Instagram. I didn’t post any photos, I didn’t upload any stories, and I couldn’t recall feeling or learning anything. Then what had I been doing for all those hours? I liked believing that my time on Instagram was based on a conscious decision, but that is a lie. And to be frank, it was an addiction. During a typical day, I would wake up and instinctively scroll through my feeds. I was just bored. But even if it was really based on boredom, did Instagram successfully resolve it?
Ruminating about my lack of self-management or conscious thinking drove me to try a challenge that I’ve never considered before, an Instagram detox. It required immense effort at first, but looking back, it is one of the better decisions I’ve made in my life. Now, I will share a short review of my own experience below.
Benefits of Instagram detox:
- You get to think. People tend to browse through Instagram during short breaks of their daily routine, which is a decent way to kill time. But if you’re addicted like me, you would spend hours bathed in the numbness. Once the app is gone, you have legitimate time to think, and you realize new things! I personally went “meta” during this extra time, thinking about my day, how I felt, and why I felt that way. I had more opportunities to be mindful and that further motivated me to journal more consistently and properly. It was definitely a better way to use my brain.
- You conquer your (actually not so scary) fears. For me, I had mild anxiety over not being up to date and that kept me chained to Instagram. Over time, I realized that I’m not really missing out on anything at all. If people really wanted me to know certain things, they found ways to inform me without Instagram notifications. And if I wanted others to know about something, I could always message them or call them separately. Even if social media is an easier way to communicate with people, it may not be as effective in building a connection.
- You use your time efficiently. Blank minutes compile into available hours and you can do anything you want! I ended up watching movies/tv shows, reading books, teaching myself guitar, and even cooking. If I had stuck with Instagram, I would have missed out so much on my own life, and that could have been disappointing in retrospect.
Difficulties faced during Instagram detox:
- It’s hard to immediately cut yourself off of Instagram right from the beginning. I found myself going back to Instagram through Safari, which is pretty tragic, but it was a part of the process. As I entered through Safari, I could catch myself more consciously, and it gradually lessened my visits to Instagram.
- Without Instagram, you might latch onto other easily-accessible social media. For instance, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, etc. All of these platforms can be used effectively, but that depends on the presence of deliberate intention. Personally, I don’t have TikTok or Twitter, so that wasn’t an issue. But I did have Facebook and it nearly replaced Instagram. So, I ended up deleting Facebook as well, and that was quite cathartic.
- People will still try to contact you through social media, and it feels impolite to never respond. So, I advise you to let your friends know beforehand that you’re no longer on the platform, or that you’re taking a break. I personally wasn’t able to make a PSA, because it was a spontaneous decision. Nonetheless, my friends didn’t mind the delay, and were very supportive of the detox! A couple of them are doing their own social media detoxes now!
Tips:
- If you don’t know where to start, start with setting timers. You can set time limits for specific apps through Settings and Instagram also has a tool available. This time limit will not strictly forbid you from access, but there will be a warning that pops up, and that can be really helpful! Beware of unconsciously tapping away the notifications.
- Screw FOMO. You are not missing out! There’s already so much going on in the world and you don’t need Instagram to know about it. If you want to know how others are doing, contact them! Initiate a genuine conversation that doesn’t depend on interrelational expectations.
- Don’t think in terms of Instagram. Instead of thinking about what you would like to be seen as doing, just do it! For example, people take photos of themselves reading just to share the fact that they are reading. But that could be executed better. There’s nothing wrong with living your personal life personally! Try out personal goals and dismiss the urge to broadcast them. Even if you’re the only follower you’ve got, it may be a richer experience than you might expect.
- Be an amateur. An amateur is a person who does something for sake of enjoyment. As such, don’t be too critical to yourself when you end up back on Instagram during a detox. Simply recognize the behavior, and redirect yourself! You’re doing this for a purpose, for a healthier habit, not as a punishment. The focus isn’t just deleting the application, it’s about fine-tuning your individual patterns and enjoying life.
It has already been seven weeks since I began my Instagram detox. I originally planned to try it out for a month, but now I’ve decided to stick with it as long as possible. And there is so much to living without these distractions. Of course, social media platforms can be great assets too such as raising awareness for movements. But it’s a double-sided coin and it can be a pleasant-looking trap to fall into. Once you’re six feet under, reorganizing your own habits may be too painful to carry on.
Consider your own stance with Instagram (or any social media platform) and honestly evaluate your relationship with it. Our current times reminds us of the need for change. Why not start with ourselves?
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