I Quit Instagram For A While...

I Quit Instagram For A While...
Surprise, surprise! As an enthusiastic over-sharer, this was actually a tough decision to make. I love to take a bunch of photos and videos and post them on my Instagram. I like it when I have at least one Instagram story to put up on there. It's satisfaction in a click. I know I'm not the only person who feels this way.

So, the moment I decided to take a break from Instagram, my brain is going crazy. I quickly realized how often I glance down just to see if I have a notification, or even if I don't have one, I just want to scroll my Instagram feed okay. When I wake up in the morning, on the way to work, (sometimes, at work, sorry) before I go to bed - it's constant.

I'm hoping with me going Instagram-less, my mind is going to be less scattered and all over the place. I also hope to become more productive, focused from day to day and less checking on my phone just to see if someone followed me on Instagram.

I quit Instagram and here's how it went:
The first week was... So. Freaking. Hard. I have a long day at work and usually, during my lunch hour, that's when I tried to catch up on things - by all means, watching everybody's IG stories. It's addictive. Anyway, ever since going Instagram free, I had nothing to distract myself from. It's not that I don't have other social media apps that could feed my habit - I just love Instagram more. Unconsciously, even I don't feel like posting, I have this urge to open the app.

Within the second week, I was getting kinda cured of my addictive thumb swiping and checking my phone. I actually felt pretty good doing things without having to document them. I also didn't really miss seeing other people's posts. I mean, yeah, I was curious to know what my friends and favourite celebs were up to and I was a little scared at first to take a break from Instagram, I thought I would miss out on a ton of things. It actually turned out to be A-okay. I spent more time connecting in real life and it was awesome!



Long story short...
During my little break up with Instagram, I realized I wake up feeling way more rested. I spent most of my 9 hours at work staring at a screen and cutting down on screen time outside of my job has changed my world. I was able to square away some of the important events in my life. I even tried to drive again (and I am scared, still). I was able to reorganize my bedroom. My business email was cleaned up (finally) and more importantly, I was able to stop allowing Instagram to feed into my anxiety.

I noticed I am far more productive when I'm not reaching for my phone every 2 minutes. I started to feel like there were extra hours in the day like I was given this gift of exercise time and reading time. After all, was said and done, I reaffirmed I am still on Instagram hiatus. I do feel so much better without it. And I am still happily off Instagram to this day.

For now, not planning to come back on IG anytime soon, still going IG-less until further notice.

Update 03/07/2020: on February 24th, I decided to make a comeback on IG  — oh boy, my DM was bombarded with messages from a bunch of people. It's good to be back but nothing special. Same old, same old. I am still an enthusiastic over-sharer and I post a hefty amount of IG stories in a day.
Have you ever needed a digital detox?

10 comments

  1. I went ghost on Instagram for a few times for at least 2 weeks or more than that but none of my friends even notice.
    But I do feel good about it. I spent more time talking with my family, be in the moment instead taking photos for instastory all the time or trying to post everything online.
    One of the best feeling in the world. I also get my reading done too instead of scrolling my timeline during my free time.

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    1. Ikr!? No one really notice I went on hiatus too, except for my best friends.

      We get to enjoy the moment more without the distraction of taking photos and post it on IG, right? It feels great tbh :)

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  2. that "i dont know what to do now since i dont have instagram"struggle is real. it is an honest to god a sign of addiction. plus i realized my mind can't cater more than one social medias (i will easily feel too overwhelmed) but instagram is way too much. i could scroll it mindlessly for hours and feel that nothingness when i put it down. i hate how i keep comparing my life but still knowing people only share good stuff on instagram. it was exhaustingly contradicting. at one point, i just couldn't do it anymore and decided to uninstall it. i just install it recently to document my trip with a friend but later on feels like im quite okay not doing it. i will probably forgo it for real.

    // afifahaddnan

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    1. I feel so much better without IG now. And I learned that "FOMO" isn't real if you don't know what you're missing out on. I'm not feeling like I missed out on anything bcs I'm not seeing it haha

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  3. dah buat challenge ni kat diri sendiri, memula memang susah tapi akhirnya berjaya juga. now tak kisah langsung apa yg ada kat sosial media, rasa hidup lebih aman..hehe

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    1. Kan! At first memang susah tapi bila dah terbiasa, I don't really care about it anymore :D

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  4. This is so interesting. I've been thinking to stop social medias too. Since Twitter and Facebook are where I mostly get to know the current news and trends so I kinda couldn't stop that so I've been thinking to stop Instagram first. But still couldn't do it, it's so hard! Wish me luck in this social media-free struggle. Anyway, it's a good decision you made!

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    1. scrolling on your IG feed is a tough one to break down because you're just so used to it. trust me, i know the struggle. even now, i sometimes catch myself scrolling my IG feed for a couple of minutes as if i'm not on hiatus. but most of the time, i'm great, i'm good without it. anyway, all the best for you, gorgeous. i know you can do it!

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  5. my time on instagram is on average of 30minutes / day. I wonder is that a good duration for a human being? or should i cut it lesser?

    hanisamanina.com

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    1. i honestly think some people have such a higher number than that, hanis. hahahaha! i think you're good xx

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