What I learnt from taking a digital holiday from Instagram

It always comes when I least expect it, when I’m mindlessly scrolling through my feed, feeling a bit tired and ready to wrap up my day.

And then bam – it hits me. I see a post that, for whatever reason, makes me feel like I’m not good enough. And so I have to coax myself back, reminding myself that yes, I am worthy.

It’s a roller coaster, one that I’m pretty sure I’m not riding alone.

But the antidote to all of that? The prescription for Instagram and mental health? A digital holiday. Time away from the app. Time to go offline.

When I deleted Instagram last December, I’d intended it to be for a week or so. But that break lasted 21 days. I checked my DMs once, via my desktop browser, but that was it. 

Here’s what I learnt when I took a digital holiday from Instagram.

I don’t need Instagram

Instagram isn’t built to protect your mental health. It’s designed to suck you in, to keep you scrolling and make you stay in the app for as long as possible. The entire experience is intended to keep you around to consume more ads, and generate more profit for the folks over at Facebook.

But when you start to be more intentional about how you consume content on Instagram, you learn how to control it. Instagram is a tool in my life, not an essential requirement.

I’m now learning how to be more mindful of my usage again. I’m learning to be conscious of what I consume and how I feel when I consume it. To help with this, I’ve set myself a (loose) rule to leave at least one comment each time I open Instagram, to remind myself of why I’m using it in the first place. It’s there to be social and to connect with other people, not to be a silent spectator.

I can find inspiration elsewhere

For most small business owners, there’s a common misconception that we need to follow other folks and other businesses who do what we do on Instagram. The idea being that this is how we should keep up with trends and get inspired for our own work.

We don’t. We really don’t.

First up, there are so many other sources of knowledge and inspiration. Google, blogs, newsletters, reports, magazines, events, workshops, conversations, podcasts, and so many more. We don’t need to put all our educational eggs in the Instagram basket.

Secondly, take a second to think about where you are and what you’re doing when you get your best ideas. You know, the ones that get what warm fuzzy feeling back into your soul. Are you scrolling through your home feed? Or are you outside, on a walk, chatting with friends, or doing something completely different?

I know where I am when my best ideas find me. It’s when I’m away from all digital distractions. And it’s exactly why I start all my client projects away from a computer screen, with good old-fashioned pen and paper by my side.

It was my coach – Megan Luscombe – who reminded me that you don’t need to follow everyone in your industry online. Sure, look to those who you want to grow to. But only if it suits you. And if you find yourself feeling back when you’re looking through their content? It’s a-okay to hit that unfollow button. I’m sure they’d far rather you felt good about yourself than them losing a follower or two.

I pick up my phone a lot

I was so surprised to see just how often I pick up my phone. It’s a lot.

I found myself picking up my phone every time I sat down on the sofa to watch TV. My hands craved something to do, whilst my mind couldn’t focus fully on the movie I was watching. They craved their Instagram fix.

So, what did I go to instead? Ironically, it was the news! I know that, for many, this can be a stressful route to follow. But it helps me to feel more connected to the world outside as I know what’s going on. I’d spend a minute or two there, read an article, and then move on.

My favourite trick though was to choose a mindful craft activity. Sewing has been a big project for me throughout the various lockdowns and tiers we’ve experienced over the last few months. I’ve become a big fan of Hannah Bass and her easy to follow needlepoint kits. They keep my hands busy and calm my mind, whilst freeing up enough of my attention span to get properly wrapped up in a movie.

My favourite time is spent offline

My biggest lesson was just how much I love the time I spend offline. I’m very aware that I run an online business, and I depend on the internet for my income, but that doesn’t mean that my life needs to be spent in the digital world.

I feel my best when I’m with people and when I’m fully present. No apps to check, no phone to pull me out of the moment. Just simple things with the people I love, that’s what it’s all about. When I’m offline, I’m not missing out. I’m living my own life, instead of watching other people live theirs.

Does this mean I’m staying away from Instagram? Heck no! There are so many things that I love about that app – the connection, the community, and so much more. But it does mean that I’m going to be reminding myself to use it a lot more intentionally. And I’m pretty sure that this won’t be the last digital holiday I take. Sometimes deleting Instagram just for the weekend is exactly what your mental health needs.