I Finally Deleted Instagram Last Week — 3 Unexpected Things I’ve Noticed
Anyone who wants their life back should do it too
I lost days of sleep over an app.
Every night, its glow illuminated my room like a digital siren. I had to go on Instagram. I had to scroll through my feed and ensure I wasn’t missing out on anything.
I thought I could quit, but like any addiction, it was harder than I thought.
Every night, after 15–20 minutes on the app, I’d finally go to bed.
But the damage was already done. My eyes absorbed the blue light deterring me from sleeping. So I fell asleep later, thus, woke up later.
The cycle continued.
After fighting with myself, enough was enough. I deleted the app, and it’s the best thing I’ve done for my productivity this year.
Here are three things I’ve noticed and why you should drop Insta (or similar social media apps) too.
I “Pavloved” myself into opening the app.
My addiction was worse than I thought.
Throughout the week, I still unlocked my phone to open Instagram. Even though I’d deleted the app, my finger automatically tapped to where it used to be.
This happened at three different times of the day.
As soon as I woke up.
The alarm goes off. My eyes open. I tap Instagram.
Then ten minutes pass, and I finally snap out of my cheap dopamine trance. That was my routine since I can remember.
Without the app, I get right to my morning routine.
Anytime I was bored of working.
Whenever I felt like I had been working too long or bored with the work, I’d reach for my phone.
Then I’d get lost in the app and repeat the same cycle of snapping out of it and returning to work.
No app = more workflow
When it was time to shut down for the night.
How you sleep sets the foundation for the next day.
Poor sleep prompts poor performance in anything you do, from writing to the gym to spending time with family. Everything flows into the next task.
The more you sleep, the better you focus.
I gain 30+ minutes every day
Screentime is a reminder of how much time you’re wasting.
Before, I had limits on my app usage. Almost every day, I would reach the 30-minute Instagram limit. Most of the time, I would ignore it and keep scrolling.
It sucks I can’t get my time back, but I’m glad I deleted the app because I never cared about the likes or the followers.
It’s not about your past mistakes but how you move on. How you learn from them and adjust the systems, you use to take daily actions toward your goals.
Imagine what you could do with 30+ minutes (every day) for your side hustle.
How far could you get?
I fill my time with more productive pursuits
I deleted Instagram, but I still have a phone.
It’s full of other distracting apps, so I installed a fail-safe. I started using Twitter to feed my need for social media. But there’s a catch.
I’ve optimized my feed as a learning platform instead of an entertainment one. On Twitter, I engage other accounts, write tweets, and build an audience simultaneously.
I still have a phone addiction, but I’m redirecting my energy to something positive. I also spend less time on Twitter than I would Instagram because everything I do there is intentional.
Leverage social media for growth instead of decay.
As you scroll your phone, imagine every tap taking you a step closer to learning a new skill, developing an idea, or connecting with someone who shares your passion.
Words of encouragement
It was hard to delete the app.
I like posting on my story so people know what I’m up to
I like seeing people I know make big life moves
I like responding to my friend’s posts
But there’s too much fakeness. Even though I’d unfollowed many people, I still had not talked to 95% of the people I followed within the last year.
Only 5% of them are my real friends with whom I’d have a phone call. So I don’t need the app to stay connected.
It’s hard to delete the app. So here’s one way to make it easier:
Delete Instagram at night. It’s easier to wake up to it missing.
You can start your day when it’s not there, and when you realize how much you didn’t need it, you’re set. However…
I’ll probably download the app again. I’ll have some new photos to post in a few months, but the point is now I know I don’t need it at all times. But if there’s one thing to take away from my lesson, it’s this.
To truly connect, you have to disconnect.
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Good lesson to learn early Ryan. Keeps you on your game. What’s really important. Eliminate the others.