Recently I took a little Instagram detox. It was unintentional but it felt so rewarding so I wanted to share it with you. In fact, I was almost a week offline on social media and it made me feel so refreshed. A lot of daily life we miss out on due to our phones. In the past (when we didn’t have phones… yes that was me) life seemed less frantic and real life was full of lots of the activities people do now for mindfulness. Take painting for example, crafts, reading, baking, playing an instrument…. It all existing back in the past and there’s a reason why it is still enjoyed today.
Withdrawal Symptoms
At first, I wanted to check my phone, but it was quite easy after a little time to just concentrate on other things. I had a lazy weekend at home, so we watched TV, played piano, ate delicious food and chatted. We also read books and magazines. It was pure bliss. It made me realise how much more time I had when I wasn’t checking my phone all the time.
Fill In The Gaps
While I was waiting for things, I filled in the gaps with playing the piano or reading, rather than scrolling my phone. It gave me moments of things to look forward to, rather than abiding to routine.
Less Pressure
Being a blogger, there is so much pressure to be constantly posting Instagram photos and stories. Whilst I love sharing exciting food discoveries or the latest makeup item I have enjoyed, sometimes it can be a little bit pressurised and I really needed a break away from that. I had lost my excitement for blogging and I really feel taking the pressure off helped. It made me much more excited for new content.
Escape The Routine
By taking a social media detox, I escaped the routine of my blog and that felt good. I didn’t post a blog post for a week either. I think sometimes we forget that people won’t mind if there isn’t a blog one week and if it means your life is more nurtured then so be it.
Conclusions
I really enjoyed taking a social media break for a few days and I will definitely be doing that again. Deciding to limit my Instagram time to 30 minutes a day was another thing I have started doing (really hard but worth it). I set a timer on my apps and then it stops me from overusing it. There is so much more time for doing other things and getting inspired again. I really want to work on lots of things this year including my confidence and my mental health. On a weekend, I have also stopped posting an Instagram post and some weekends I haven’t been on Instagram at all. The tweaks have been so rewarding and I am already noticing less pressure on myself and feeling happier. I may not be growing my Instagram much, but I am more excited about my content and I actually look forward to using social media more now. As I have limited time online, I do miss things but that is a good thing too as I can prioritise the positive and good stuff.
What are your thoughts on taking time off Instagram occasionally?
