Day 006. Breaking the Scroll: 91 Days Off Social Media & Rediscovering Life IRL

The Daily Chronicles of a Millennial on a Social Media Detox

📢❗🚨 Day 006 of this special series in October. 📢❗🚨

If you’re new here, welcome!

I am spending October on a daily series chronicling my eighth round on an Instagram sabbatical. I’ve welcomed this annual ritual since 2016, but this year is the first time I am documenting my daily observations and sharing them with you, my lovely readers. 

Thank you for spending some of your day with me. You can subscribe to follow along and receive these directly into your inbox. But if your inboxes feels under siege, you can tweak your settings here.

Otherwise, stay tuned—for a little while—to see what I’ll create. You can read Day 001, 002, 003, 004, 005 to get up to speed.

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I stopped myself from opening Instagram a few times again today.

But, I can tell the habit is starting to diminish—slowly (but surely)— as it unwinds from my brain’s neural patterns.

Today my fingers didn’t act on its own accord.

I manage to stop it before it clicked through; mid-thought, before I got to opening the app—again. While I’ve been doing so on auto-pilot for the past week, it’s a relief to see that my withdrawals are a lot milder this year.

It’s my eighth time around on this Instagram detox. It’s been a welcomed respite for reconnection with myself—and my independent thoughts, without random algorithmic intrusions.

But, every year, through all of this, there’s one glaring truth that’s hard to deny: social media is here to stay.

Social Media is here to stay.

So, the real question is: how can we best navigate life with social media, instead?

A week in, admittedly, I sense what I am missing.

I feel slightly more disconnected from the world this week. But perhaps, this is also a great nudge for me to put in a little more effort to do more things in real life;

to spend more time with loved ones in person instead?
to schedule more hands on activities in real time instead?
to take in more walks outside, in nature, surrounded by lush scenery instead?
to talk to people in person or on the phone (at least) instead?

The list of possibilities are endless, especially now that I’ve gained more of my time and headspace back.

But, yes I know, connecting in real life does take more effort and coordination versus the ease of a few flicks and scrolls, conveniently on my phone.

I am comfortable and content with modern conveniences.

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There were other moments that I noted this past week too, of when, Instagram would’ve come in handy.

I acknowledge, Instagram has become deeply ingrained with how I use the Internet these days. Some days it’s more for practicality than mere distraction or a nuisance; hence the dillemma.

That’s the genius of the app.

It’s become an almost necessity while also acting as an advertising bulletin all in one. The app caters to both users and advertisers alike; it’s more than any magazine can claim to do.

Here are some moments I noticed, where it would’ve been nice to have Instagram:

• My boyfriend sent me some funny things and a wise quote to look at, on Instagram and on X (formerly known as Twitter), but I reminded him I couldn’t look. He had to screenshot what he could instead.

• I was at an art fair over the weekend and it would’ve been nice to be able to follow the artists I liked on their Instagram page. But, I noted their names on notes and took pictures of their names instead.

  

• At the same art fair, it would’ve been nice to be able to follow the Instagram pages of the gallery’s that resonated with me too, but I noted the names down instead.

• There was also a cool clothing brand on display at one of the booths. It would’ve been much easier to search and follow the brand on the spot, but as I forgot to note down the name—I’ll have to ask my friend about it instead.

• I was at an arts and music festival over the weekend too, I typically like to be able to check the vibe, on the day, through Instagram stories. But, I guess, what was in store was left as a mystery until I arrived instead.

• There was a new restaurant I went to try the other day. I would’ve liked to look through their Instagram page, as a vibe check before we went, but luckily to my delight, it was an excellent casual spot with amazing food—and great vibes too.

The gains I’ve noticed most this week is how much more extra headspace I’ve had in my days.

I’ve experienced almost zero FOMO too, which has been nice.

And best of all, any feelings of insecurity or inadequacy, that sometimes interrupted my day, have dissipated to practically none.

In other words the inevitable comparisons that sprouted many emotional jaunts, has instead been replaced with a conservation of energy for the things I care about most.

I’ve been reading a lot more too, replacing my Instagram visit’s with Substack visits and real life print books instead.

All that wasted energy that went into all that worrying— gone, at an instant— simply by removing one app, to be used towards my creativity and all other pursuits instead.

It’s always refreshing.

I am also feeling much more myself again each day—content with my days, happily entertaining my imaginations, as I continue to dream of how to make them all come to life.

But, admittedly, there are also times, when I wonder to myself, am I just overthinking?

Maybe, it’s easier to flow with the currents and just embrace where the world is today.

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Follow along the previous editions of this series…

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This series feels like a public service announcement (PSA)—ideas I want everyone to be able to access. I’ve made it accessible and public for everyone to read.

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Thank you for spending some of your day with me.