June 05, 2019
It's been three weeks since I started my Instagram break. You can read more about the reasoning behind this decision here. I promised to share some updates about how the break is going in case you yourself are curious about taking time away from social media. Here are some observations I've made from my own personal experience.
1. Embracing and enjoying the absence. I don't miss Instagram as much as I thought I would! I thought I would end up regularly swiping to the now-missing Instagram button on my iPhone, but this has not been the case. In the first few days, there were a few times I gravitated to the button, but it hasn't happened since. I was surprised by how quickly my phone habits changed.
2. Not much FOMO. I thought I'd feel a lot of FOMO (fear of missing out) without being able to see what my favorite accounts were up to. To be honest, there are occasional times when I wonder what some of my favorite artists, celebrities, designers, and companies are up to, but the feeling passes pretty quickly.
3. WAY less screen time. This is major. The amount of time I spend on my phone has drastically reduced. This is kind of a no brainer, but I was shocked to see how little I use my phone since I don't have Instagram on it.
Here's a screenshot of my screen time before the Instagram break. On average, I was using Instagram about 1.5 hours per day. That adds up to 10.5 hours per week! That makes me feel pretty icky.
And now here's a screenshot from earlier this week. Pretty dramatic change, no!?
If you are curious about your own screen time, on your iPhone go to Settings --> Screen Time.
4. Increased focus and productivity. Prior to deleting Instagram, I would engage in an activity (stitching, reading, writing, watching TV), but see my phone after a bit of time (because it needed to be near me) and think, "Oh, let me just quickly check Instagram." I wouldn't think twice about this interruption and then I'd find myself going down a scrolling rabbit hole for 30 minutes. So much wasted time. During this detox, I have noticed that I'm able to engage in a "flow" state with regularity and ease, engaging in focused activities for long periods of time. I find myself reading or stitching for an hour straight with limited distractions. It's quite nice and overall I have felt way more productive.
5. More time to read! Directly linked to #4, I am reading a LOT more. I've always been an avid reader, but without the distraction of social media, I'm finishing many more books and articles in a shorter time frame than normal.
In my next blog post about this subject, I plan to share some of the resources I have found helpful in making the decision to take some time away from Instagram. Stay tuned!
May 15, 2019
First off, thank you for visiting! I am hoping to get back to posting on the blog here at Happy Cactus Designs with more regularity.
Secondly, I'm writing this post as I prepare for a "digital detox." It seems to be a catchy phrase these days used as a catch-all for taking time away from our devices, networks, and time-consuming sites. If you reached this post via my Instagram, then you are likely aware that I've decided to take a few weeks away from Instagram (and Facebook, although I mainly just use it for cross-posting from Instagram).
Why? Over the past few months, I've felt overwhelmed and sometimes annoyed by the role that social media sites have been playing in my life, both personally and professionally. I'm sure some of you feel the same way. While I LOVE connecting with my followers and customers via Instagram and am so grateful to be able to share my work with a wide audience via that platform, I have also started to feel a nagging urge to disconnect for a bit. I'll elaborate on these feelings in some future posts.
I have also been quite curious about what running my business would be like without the ability to quickly reach an audience on social media. What if Instagram disappeared tomorrow? How would my business and studio operations change? If you own a small business with a social media presence, this may have crossed your mind as well. Over the next month or so, part of my plan is to use some of the time that I have previously spent mindlessly scrolling to focus on other areas of outreach, improve my website, and write on my blog. I also want to make more space for creative exploration and experimentation.
Stay tuned for more blog posts about this digital detox. And I'd love to hear from you. Have you taken a social media break? Do you run a small business and sometimes feel tethered to social media? Do you have questions for me? Shoot me an email at hello{at}happycactusdesigns.com or add a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.