My Week Without
Instagram!
Why I took a Break From My Most Used App!
MONDAY, JULY 15, 2019
Believe it or not - I stopped using Instagram!!!
Ok, I should be more honest - I only stopped using Instagram for a week. But hear me out! Even though Instagram is my favourite app & I’m always uploading new content & scrolling to see new pictures, ya boi needed a mini vacay from it. Even from Social Media.
I’ve been feeling kind of overwhelmed & anxious lately, but I wasn’t sure why. I was doing everything I normally did. Working out. Going to Work. Uploading on Instagram. But even after Instagram was down the other day, I just felt like I needed a much needed break from posting constantly. So, I decided to do just that.
As a creator that uploads on Instagram consistently, this is probably a stupid idea.
How am I going to “survive” without Instagram. Well #SPOILERALRET - I did!
So, again, the reason I wanted to take a bit of a break from Instagram was more because I was feeling stressed & anxious from constantly using the app. Don’t get me wrong, I still LOOOOVE Instagram & continue to use it. I just wanted to try a little experiment & see if I’d feel less stress & less anxious without the app or my posting obligations.
I wanted to see if I would feel any better without the app, than with the app.
Day 1
It’s Monday. A new week is here! And today is the day I take a break from Instagram. Something I have never done, literally since first signing up for the app! I can’t recall a time where I DIDN’T use Instagram, or didn’t have it on my phone. But, today was going to be that day.
Normally, I start my day by immediately opening the Instagram app & checking everything I missed while I was asleep. Notifications, Posts, Stories & DM’s. I check them all & spend a good HOUR on the app, every morning. So I did that same routine. Once I was finished checking everything, I prepared myself to start my IG Break. I quickly updated my story, letting my followers & more importantly brands know that I would be off the app for this week & be taking a mini break from Instagram. Once I uploaded that story, I closed the app & deleted it from my phone. Now, the real test begins.
Once I deleted the app, I started to begin my day. I made breakfast & checked my emails on my computer, before getting ready for work. While online, I caught myself trying to check Instagram. I quickly remembered an app that Google Chrome had where you can block websites. I never thought I would ever do this, but I typed instagram.com into the url & stopped myself from viewing it. Once that was done, the true test started.
I truly didn’t realize how much I use Instagram, whether on my phone, or even on my computer. I constantly found myself going to the website, forgetting it was blocked. Searching up a celebrity to view their Instagram, only to see it was blocked. Even going to check a friends profile, to then getting frustrated that I forgot I had blocked the website.
It was constant. But, I went on with my day. Even heading to work, and being on my phone, there was countless times
I had gone to open the app, to realize I didn’t have the app on my phone anymore. And this was only Monday…
Day 2
Tuesday is when I really started to see my Instagram habits kick in.
In the morning, when checking my emails, I noticed a company I was working with needed me to send them a screenshot of one of my past IG Stories. When I realized the IG story was from last week, I remembered that I’d have to be on the app to grab the screenshot. So I did have to redownload Instagram onto my phone again, but only for work purposes. I quickly downloaded it, got the screenshot I needed, and then hopped off. Right before I closed the app, before deleting it again, I did glance at my feed. I quickly noticed one of my bloggers friends quit his full-time job. I also noticed another friend of mine bought a car! Information I wouldn’t have found out, other than for Social Media. I quickly closed the app, and deleted it, continuing my break from the app.
Once I began carrying on with my day, I started to reflect on some of the overwhelming things I was feeling. For one, I was annoyed at myself for taking a stupid Instagram break. In that moment it seemed silly & like I should just use the app if I wanted to use the app. I also felt lost & like I was missing out on whatever was going on, on Instagram.
Whether it be post ppl are sharing, or things ppl are storying, or places ppl are at, or listening to, or doing. I just felt left out of that IG World. In the moment it did suck, because I realized I was so use to getting flooded with all this random information daily. Whether it be my close friends, or people I went to High School with, or people I know through friends, or co-workers, online friends, bloggers, celebrities, etc. They ALL share random information about themselves & about their day & about their interests, and I wasn’t receiving any of that, so in a way, my day felt off. But, I wasn’t sure why because all that random information wasn’t really relevant to ME. I didn’t NEED to know that information. But because I wasn’t seeing it, I became aware & really questioned why my days are like that.
I also became aware of my habits very quickly. Me wanting to open the app constantly, and forgetting it wasn’t on my phone. Or me wanting to look someone up & forgetting I had blocked the website off my computer.
This was a constant struggle for me. SMH.
Day 3
So it’s WEDNESDAY! I’ve spent 3 days not on the app, and I’m feeling OK. I’ve noticed a lot of my habits. One of them being how much time I waste being on the app! Opening to see what’s going on! Checking everyone’s stories. Wasting minutes & in some cases HOURS just scrolling on the app. Not having the app, I’ve had so much MORE TIME & less time to manage, which has always been a struggle for me.
One feeling that keeps coming up though is LOST. I’ve felt lost, or even felt like i’m missing out on certain things. I’ve felt a lack of connecting with:
- Friends
- Blogger Community
- The world
- Meme’s
- Pop Culture
which almost seems SILLY!!! But because i’m not on Instagram, I feel super distant from those things & really out of the loop, which is a feeling I don’t like.
Day 4
It’s finally Thursday & I don’t feel any better about not having Instagram. I’m actually feeling agitated & just really missing the app. I feel like i’m constantly missing out on things going on in the world. It’s such a weird feeling…
Not having Instagram though, has helped me realize where I spend all of my spare time. It’s helped me see I can’t spend all day on the app & there’s things I need to do to spend less time on it, & more time in the present. I love Instagram & the things it’s able to do for me, but I definitely need a healthier balance. I’m seeing this & noticing some of my habits really aren’t ok, and need to be adapted with some better choices.
Day 5
It’s FRIDAY, aaaaand, I caved…. I COULDN’T DO IT ANYMORE!!! I Could only do a couple days without the app because I really missed it a lot! I missed seeing what friends were up to. I missed seeing what my blogger friends were up to & what they were creating. I missed uploading content & engaging with my followers. I missed Instagram!
But, moving forward, I AM going to be making some changes. For me, I still WANT to use Instagram.
I love what I do. But I want to split my time from doing what I love & also having time for what I love.
I could be so much more productive if I just spent less time aimlessly scrolling on the app. I could get so much more done, as well as connect with my friends more, because I wouldn’t have Instagram to distract me. So there’s some steps I’ve taken & reflected on, that I’m going to implement, to be more productive & less distracted. And THAT’S what I’ve learned!
Honestly, I know I wanted to do 7 days without the app, but I’m surprised I could survive 3!!! I think last week was really important for me, as extra as that sounds. Believe me - I know! But, as a creator, i’m CONSTANTLY on the app, refreshing, seeing new content, seeing friends post, always getting (sometimes) mindless information. It can be A LOT! Especially trying to grow my following, constantly aiming to post every weekday. Replying back to comments. answering DM’s. Trying to come up with funny & engaging IG stories. While ALSO working full-time. TRYING to see friends. Go to the gym consistently. Plan & go to photoshoots. It can get VERY overwhelming!!! And I think I just reached that overwhelming point. But, i’m also learning that that is ok. I don’t HAVE TO or NEED TO do all those things.
I shouldn’t feel stressed or obligated by a platform that is just a free app. Although I want to be successful on this free app & make money, I can go at my own pace. And that is okay.
If you’re a creator, you might be able to relate. Constantly putting pressure on yourself because you feel like you’re ‘behind schedule’. You see other creators doing things & you get into this comparison mindset, instead of an inspired or motivated mindset. You feel the pressure to always be on, instead of dealing with your off days. Well, I just want to share that feeling like this is okay. No one is putting that pressure on you, but yourself. And the moment you DO feel pressure, take a breath, & take a break. It is OKAY. It will BE OKAY. Just take some time for you & come back stronger!
Sorry for no Fashion Inspo today. I felt like this was important to share on my blog & hopefully still inspire you guys. Whether you’re trying to be a creator, or some other line of work & you’re feeling stressed - try not to be so hard on yourself. It’s okay to take a breather & take a break.
I hope this helped someone & helped inspire you. Let me know what you thought of this post. I always love hearing from you guys! You can ALWAYS TWEET me, write me on Facebook, or shoot me a DM on Instagram! Let’s chat!
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