4 Things I Noticed After Limiting My Instagram Time!
For the past couple of months, I have been trying to restrict my Instagram time to 10 mins per day. I have written two articles previously regarding this topic, so do check them out!
This article can be considered a Part 3/3 of this series, wherein I’ve noted down a few things which I observed after restricting my Instagram time. If you find any parallels between this blog and your personal observations, do let me know!
Anyways, getting back to the point, here are things that I noticed after limiting my Instagram time to 10 mins per day:
1. Low Instagram Time Doesn’t Mean A Low Screen Time!
While I was consciously trying to reduce my Instagram time, I was unknowingly spending more time on other apps (especially YouTube). I believe this is one of the most important observations, as my goal was not just to reduce my Instagram time (but the overall screen time).
So, I had to keep reminding myself to lock the phone whenever I opened any substitute (of Instagram). It did take extra effort but I think it was completely worth it!
2. You Don’t Lose Contact with the World (or Your Friends):
I had this fear that if I reduced my Instagram time then I might lose connect with the world and people around me. But that was not at all true. I have found that 10 mins of Instagram time is enough to get myself updated about people around me (especially my close network of friends). After 10 mins I typically tend to spend the rest of my time going through random posts and reels- which is when I shut down the app.
Instead of scrolling through Instagram, I try to interact with my friends in person or on call or text someone to engage in some new and interesting conversation. I strongly believe that we should not consume the kind of content that we wouldn’t be able to remember the next day (and Instagram stories make up a huge part of this category).
Previously, I used to get news updates on my Instagram feed, but I realized that I needed a specialized news app for such updates. It's pretty difficult to only engage in news-related posts without getting distracted by other memes (especially on a social media platform like Instagram!).
Side Note: I feel that the search button on Instagram is the worst time killer: Once I click on it, I can’t stop scrolling!
3. Opening Instagram Had Become A Habit
I noticed that many times when I opened my phone my thumb would involuntarily navigate and click on the Instagram app. Hence, opening Instagram had become a habit rather than a necessity. I used to open Instagram whenever I got even 30 seconds of free time- during the advertisements while watching TV, in the online gaming lobby, while waiting at a traffic signal, or during my walk between my parking and my house. You probably might have noticed the same (it can be any app).
Limiting myself to 10 mins brought down this urgent need to check Instagram and drastically reduced the number of distractions for me. Moreover, I also understood that I didn't need the support of memes or reels to feel good/happy. A frequent Instagram user might become immune to such short doses of memes and might not enjoy a joke as thoroughly as someone who consumes limited content.
4. Feels Good After Comparing:
I am not going to lie but I feel extremely ecstatic when I compare my Instagram time with others, as there are rarely any people with a usage time of fewer than mine. Moreover, such a feeling keeps me motivated to continue with this habit.
These were the top 4 observations that I made during my journey towards a lower Instagram usage time. I hope you found something helpful here!
Happy Reading :)
