I needed a break, so I took a 2 month break from Instagram. I wasn’t sure how long I would deactivate my accounts @adinalifestyle and @sherniceground for but one thing that I knew for sure was that I had to step away. This isn’t new for me though; I do it several times a year. However, this time I wanted to share my experience, incase you’re thinking about doing the same thing.
I realized that I needed a break when I found myself constantly scrolling on Instagram during my free time. It made me feel terrible, wasting so much time on social media, and even worse when I compared my life to how everyone else appeared to have it together, despite my own reality being somewhat different.
I love my life and I am grateful for what I have, but the truth about life is that it has its ups and downs, not necessarily all the time, but it happens. On Instagram, it’s often portrayed as if life is always perfect. When you see your followers’ seemingly perfect lives every day, it can make you question your own reality, life choices, and everything in between, and that can be toxic.
Feeling the need to share every moment can sometimes take away from the joy of the present. Spending too much time perfecting photos around you, as you seek validation from online acquaintances, even though you might not know them personally. It’s important to remember that genuine connections and real life experiences hold much more love and value.
My husband doesn’t have social media, he never cared for it. I’ve watched him for years just live in the moment and enjoy his surroundings. He likes to joke that no one would know that he exists if it wasn’t for me taking pictures of him. I admire that about him.
The advantages from deleting Instagram
These are some of the advantages that I got from deleting my instagram:
- More free time- I was able to focus more on other hobbies like reading, writing and working out.
- Stronger relationships- Being more present in real life interactions strengthened my connections with friends and family.
- Reduced stress- Reduced exposure to curated, often idealized representations of others’ lives can lead to improved mental health.
- Increased privacy- Deleting your account enhances your privacy.
- Less FOMO- The fear of missing out on others’ activities and experiences can be alleviated when you’re not constantly exposed to them.
- Reduced comparison- You’ll be less inclined to compare your life to those you see on instagram.
Challenges from deleting Instagram
- Social isolation- I felt disconnected from friends and social circles that primarily communicate through instagram.
- Loss of creative outlet- Instagram can serve as a creative space for self expression, and losing that outlet can be difficult.
- Overcoming Habitual use- Instagram was apart of my daily routine, breaking that habit was challenging.
- Staying informed: I had to find other ways to stay updated on trends, news and other information that I previously obtained through instagram.
As much as Instagram is a great space to be creative, it can be just as toxic. What I’m hoping to do different this time is to spend less time scrolling. I found a way to schedule my posts as often as I want. I’ll spend a few hours one day a week to schedule posts for an entire week, maybe two. I’ll go on to connect with my followers when needed and keep up with my favorites once in a while.
I took a 2 month break from Instagram, and if you need one too, hopefully this post helps you take that first step in taking a break from social media when you need to.
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