Why You Should Delete Instagram
Have you ever considered completely leaving Instagram behind? I have certainly contemplated it, and even though I haven’t taken that step yet, just thinking about it and exploring the potential benefits has been quite exciting. As a result, I have significantly reduced my time on the platform over the past few weeks.
In this article, I will delve into the most relevant reasons in detail, so you can comprehend how replacing your Instagram time with other activities could profoundly improve your life.
Contents
Reason #1: Save Time and Spend It Elsewhere
On average, an Instagram user spends approximately 53 minutes a day on the platform, adding up to about 330 hours or almost 14 entire days every year. Just imagine if you decided to give up Instagram and reclaim all that time for other pursuits. The possibilities are endless, and you could significantly enhance your life by focusing on activities that truly matter.
With nearly an extra hour each day, you have the opportunity to engage in things that bring you more joy and fulfillment than social media. By redirecting your time, you can make substantial improvements in critical areas, both personally and professionally.
Consider these examples of how you could utilize the time you spend on Instagram:
- Go to the gym to improve your physical fitness.
- Take long walks to connect with nature and clear your mind.
- Read a book to expand your knowledge and imagination.
- Work an extra hour each day to boost your productivity and potentially increase your earnings over the year.
- Learn a new skill you’ve always wanted to explore, either for personal enrichment or to advance your career.
- Spend more quality time with your loved ones and strengthen your relationships.
Whatever you choose to do, it will undoubtedly be more valuable than investing your time in a platform designed to foster chemical addiction, as we will explore further. Embracing alternative activities can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life.
Reason #2: Increase Your Productivity
In addition to being a significant time-waster, Instagram and social media, in general, can severely hinder productivity. Reflect on the countless instances when studying or working, you’ve paused what you were doing and reached for your phone to browse social media, not out of necessity but simply due to the impulse.
Studies conducted by the University of California, Irvine, have revealed that interruptions or breaks from an ongoing task can disrupt focus for up to 23 minutes, even if the interruption was brief. Consequently, that one-minute break to check new stories on social media could cost much more in terms of lost productivity.
Now, imagine if instead of giving in to such needless and almost involuntary breaks, you stayed completely focused on your activities until you completed them. How much more could you achieve with the same time and effort invested? By minimizing distractions and staying dedicated to your tasks, you can accomplish far more and make the most out of your valuable time.
Reason #3: You’ll Get Better Sleep (and Vision)
If you are like most frequent social media users, chances are you spend some time on Instagram just before going to bed. Unfortunately, this habit can have a detrimental impact on the quality of your sleep.
Biologically, our brains are still wired to interpret light as a signal for daytime, regardless of living in a modern world with artificial light. Our brains cannot distinguish between artificial and natural light.
Consequently, significant exposure to artificial light before bedtime can disrupt your ability to fall asleep and hinder reaching deeper sleep stages throughout the night. This leads to feeling tired and less rested the next day.
The consequences of poor sleep can permeate all aspects of your life, affecting your physical health, career, and relationships. Sufficient and high-quality sleep is crucial for optimal brain function and mood.
Moreover, excessive screen time, including social media use, is harmful to your eyesight. Reducing the time spent on your phone by ditching social media can help protect your vision and alleviate potential eye problems.
By improving your sleep habits and reducing screen time, you can positively impact your overall well-being and enjoy a healthier and more balanced lifestyle.
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Reason #4: You’ll Become More Present
Instagram and other social media platforms were intentionally designed to create addiction in users.
The way this works is by structuring their user interface to deliver dopamine boosts (the main chemical of pleasure) with every action you take, making the experience more addictive than engaging with the real world. Moreover, these platforms continuously seek to enhance this effect, making it even more enticing day by day.
Consequently, without setting boundaries for your online time, you may find yourself increasingly immersed in the virtual “social media world” and becoming less present in reality.
Instead of finding fulfillment through genuine face-to-face interactions and actively working to improve your overall life, you might unwittingly replace these with the fleeting dopamine boosts that give you a false sense of satisfaction.
Individuals who choose to break away from social media and redirect their focus towards activities like taking long walks in a park or having meaningful conversations with people physically present often experience significant benefits over the medium to long term. I have personally experienced these positive changes myself.
Though it’s challenging to put into words, I encourage you to give it a try. I assure you, you won’t regret embracing a life that prioritizes genuine connections and real-world experiences over the fleeting allure of social media addiction.
Reason #5: Get a Real Sense of How Great Your Life Is
Since Instagram users have the freedom to choose what they post, they often showcase the most beautiful aspects of their lives while leaving the less flattering moments aside. This can create a false perception of how your life compares to others’ because, in your own life, you have a comprehensive view, whereas on social media, you only see highly edited glimpses.
It’s essential to recognize that people don’t usually do this with malicious intent. There’s simply no incentive to post a selfie with red eyes and dark circles after waking up early for work when they could share pictures of a captivating trip to Asia or a fun night at a nightclub instead. We are all guilty of selecting the highlights for display.
Always remember that whatever you see from someone’s life on Instagram is merely a fraction of the complete picture. Behind those carefully curated posts, there’s a vast and multifaceted reality that remains hidden. Even influencers who appear to lead perfect lives face significant challenges and struggles that may be beyond your imagination, just like everyone else.
Social media continues to be a realm of competition for likes and comments, and spending excessive time there can divert your attention from what truly matters: the quality of your relationships rather than the quantity of likes or followers. Rather than comparing your life to others’ curated portrayals, focus on building meaningful connections and fostering genuine relationships.
Conclusion
While the idea of completely ditching Instagram and other social media platforms may initially seem unconventional given their widespread presence in our lives, the significant benefits you can reap from doing so can lead to high returns.
By making this choice, you’ll shield yourself from unnecessary harm that social media can bring and experience immense advantages. It’s crucial to use the time you’ll save wisely, directing it toward activities that enrich your life.
Moreover, as more individuals opt to give up social media, it creates a positive ripple effect, encouraging others to follow suit. By committing to this decision and staying steadfast, you can serve as an inspiration for others, positively impacting their lives as well.
Even if you choose not to take this step immediately, always keep in mind the hidden costs associated with platforms like Instagram, which can subtly influence your life without you even noticing. Use this awareness as motivation to reduce your time spent on social media. Believe me, the effort is undoubtedly worthwhile.
