I am really active on Instagram. I put myself out there around 1 year ago. I think Instagram is my favorite Social Media because of its features. I spend so much time on it each day without concern before. I love commenting on pictures or stories. I also love to share my work there because I do enjoy photography. In the middle of last year I decided to become a minimalist. I get rid some stuffs and change my mindset around purchasing. Then I realize that being a minimalist is not about owning less thing but also choosing the things that matter most in life. It is about being mindful on the things that we do. I never apply the minimalist principle to my digital life. I still use social media mindlessly until I track my time on social media. I use an iPhone and the newest iOS offers a feature called Screen Time. Screen time can also block some apps when it reach a certain limit of time. I set 1 hour and a half for all social media each day. But as you can guess, I went beyond limit. I don't do my work. I can't focus on my work because I keep on checking my social media in the middle of my work. I check it when I am queueing for food or any kind of queue. I can't put my hands off it. The next thing I realize when I am using social media is I compare myself to others. People on social media post their best moment. Their life seems so beautiful and fun. I was having some problems this year and when I look at social media it puts me on comparison mode. I feel worse, not better.
Matt D'Avella made a video that he decided to do a social media detox. It made me want to do my own detox. Then I delete Instagram. It is the most distracting application on my phone. I don't scroll on twitter that often so I keep it for my source of News. It is a huge decision for me since I use instagram to keep up with my friends and message the guest on my podcast. But I chose to face it.
The first few days of the detox I keep looking at my phone. I scroll into the folder where I put my Instagram. It is not there... Then the feeling of scrolling into Instagram gone after a week. Actually my first plan is to uninstall it from the morning until the night so that I can keep up with some friends at night. But after a week I don't feel like installing Instagram. It is hard at first but after a few days or weeks you will get used to it. My screen time drastically dropped because I don't use Instagram. I am more productive because there is no distraction. I can do what matters most to me.
I finally finished my detox. Even the day I finish my detox I still don't want to install Instagram. I feel like it is not a part of me anymore. I don't miss it at all. And the most important thing is nothing changed. People is still there and it is the same thing as before. I am happier. I am more productive. I suggest that you try the detox if Social Media is keeping you away from what matters the most in life. If you feel unhappy because you compare yourself to others. It can be frustrating to see people out there having their best time of their life while your life still sucks. Try it for a month or maybe a week. You will feel better.