A mindful framework for making Instagram Reels and TikToks
By now, it’s clear that there’s no stopping Reels from becoming the dominant medium on Instagram. As a decade-long IG user who’s generally willing to give every new feature a shot, I’ve been experimenting with Reels here and there for the last year. (And also some TikToks, because why not.)
In the process, I’ve experienced both dopamine hits from seeing aggressively algorithm-boosted view counts and embarrassment from noticing my brain trying to “content-fy” every little moment (more specifically wondering if that moment should be captured on video even though a well-composed photo would really do the trick). This mental tug-of-war continues to be frustrating, but what keeps me playing around with Reels (besides the sheer thrill of potential virality) is that videos are powerfully engaging, especially when combined with the perfect audio.
In other words, Reels can be fun and rewarding to create. I just don’t want them to take over my brain and life. As I reflect on my own experience making short-form videos, I’ve started evaluating my Reels ideas this way:
1 — SUBSTANCE / Is the footage actually visually/narratively engaging?
This simple question is designed to counter the “do it just to do it” temptation frequently encountered in content…
