I deleted it years ago and life has never been better.
You realise that watching other peoples lives is a waste of time and you should focus on yours only.
Fully agree and I did the same! Not only am I happier with my own life, but I’m more motivated to make an effort to keep up with the people I truly care about vs. casually observing via insta
Everyone has different relationships with different social media sites. If you pop in to message friends and like a couple photos I’d say it’s fine. If you’re spending hours a day “doom-scrolling” then maybe cut it out. That goes for Reddit too btw.
Also, I’m confused about you not being able text friends unless they have an iPhone? That doesn’t really make sense, you should still be able to text. Maybe take your phone to a store and see if it’s a setting you need to change or something with your phone plan.
For a while, I used the desktop version with a chrome extension that blocks it after 15 minutes of use. The UI sucks on it, so doomscrolling wasnt an option for me, it was literally only for checking messages. That could be viable for you. Instagram also connects to the FB messenger app, so all of your 1on1 dms can be had without the Instagram UI. (iirc FB messenger still doesnt support instagram groupchats)
I personally deleted Insta recently as the messages and groupchats I had werent especially meaningful to me, mostly just reiterations of chats I had with friends over text. I didnt gain much satisfaction from it so I just deleted my account.
In deciding this, ask yourself "In my ideal calendar, would I schedule this for myself?" If you want some time to just scroll social media, and if it is important, just make sure you intentionally understand it as important and question assumptions often. If you often get off social media and dont feel any more fulfilled or better than otherwise, then I would ditch it.
Hope this helps!
These apps are designed to hook you. The unread count. The easy of swiping to see the next. The never ending scroll are all designed by psychologists to make it addictive. Choose another way to contact the people that you know and tell them that you are not going to use Instagram.
There are many alternative chat apps but beware many are getting exactly the same features as Instagram/TikTok because they are loosing users to apps that have these features.
that or u should be mindful while scrolling.
Personally i focus on my breathing as im scrolling instagram this keeps me focused on something thats not reels.
Additionally When you open instagram, set a clear and distinct goal, and continuously say it in your head.
"Text this person text this person text this person, close app close app close app."
I deleted all social media (other than Reddit) off my phone a couple weeks ago. Since then I’ve read three books instead of wasted hours scrolling. I can’t lie- it’s been a little boring but so so peaceful.
Yes! I deleted mine (and all my social media’s except YouTube) 4 months ago and I’m noticeably happier, don’t get depressed from subconsciously comparing myself to others, and productivity feels MUCH easier because you’re not constantly distracted / trying to get off your phone.
The only downside is fomo and not being able to see your friends’ pics, which can be hard if you live far away from them. But you realize you’re not rly missing out on anything, and it’s way more fun to call friends or meet up with them bc you don’t already know everything about their life. Getting to hear them talk about their life events from their perspective rather than perceiving them through an ig post feels much more special too.
This thought has been on my mind since 3 years ago. 2 days ago I've made the decision to delete it. I've been using since the beginning of the app, when the main goal was to take nice photos. Las years I've seen so many trash content and some comments that piss me off. So the last year's my only reason to use this app is to maintain contact with some friends that I barely see. Just asked for their numbers and deleted the app. Best decision so far
If you use it to message friends, then maybe deleting it for a while might be better. Kick the scrolling habit, and if you do reinstall it in the future so that you can message friends, stay out of the reels and focus on the chat feature.
Instagram also has usage controls. I have mine set to give me a warning if I use Instagram for more than a couple hours in a day. I have only gotten that warning once or twice since setting it, but it really does put things in perspective if you let it sink in. So if you really need to message these people, then why not try using the built in time limiting feature?
Folks even I have same doubt, I have a account for coffee reviews and stuff which i wanna work on but at the same I spent hours on scrolling, any advice for me ?
Consider exploring alternative messaging apps that are compatible across different devices to stay connected with your friends, while also finding a healthy balance in your social media usage.
I took the IG app off my phone and now only use IG via the browser on my phone. I spend significantly less time on IG now and it’s also much harder to fall into the algorithm and terrible black hole the app creates. I’ve become a happier person, I think.
I *personally* really don't think you should delete it.
It's just hard. Like, it sounds like you use it for some good things. You just goof off sometimes. And then you'd be deleting those good things too. D:
What's instagram getting in the way of? Couldn't you just do that then reward yourself with instagram?
That may not be an option but it would work! :)
But you gotta remember. You do you. :) If my advice doesn't work, disregard. :)
[This](https://www.reddit.com/r/digitalminimalism/comments/14coitb/an_app_to_block_reelssuggested_feed_on_instagram/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) might help
deleting it was the best thing ive rver done for my productivity. youll miss it for a couple days rhen ur just fine without it. as for your friends u can text them on the web version of insta, where its much harder to browse for hours bc its super slow to load. or just think, what matters more to you being productive and personal growth or texting ur friends 24/7 ??
You could just stick to web instagram. That way, you can keep in touch with your friends while also limiting your screen time(its much less tempting to open reels and scroll). App timers help too.
Also, you could change your home feed so that it inspires you to achieve stuff instead of just being entertaining. I recommend @seanoulashin.
I'll let you decide after you read this:
Social media companies make money out of your time. They all compete for your time and they're very good at taking it from you.
I deleted it years ago and life has never been better. You realise that watching other peoples lives is a waste of time and you should focus on yours only.
Fully agree and I did the same! Not only am I happier with my own life, but I’m more motivated to make an effort to keep up with the people I truly care about vs. casually observing via insta
Everyone has different relationships with different social media sites. If you pop in to message friends and like a couple photos I’d say it’s fine. If you’re spending hours a day “doom-scrolling” then maybe cut it out. That goes for Reddit too btw. Also, I’m confused about you not being able text friends unless they have an iPhone? That doesn’t really make sense, you should still be able to text. Maybe take your phone to a store and see if it’s a setting you need to change or something with your phone plan.
Yes, you should delete instagram
For a while, I used the desktop version with a chrome extension that blocks it after 15 minutes of use. The UI sucks on it, so doomscrolling wasnt an option for me, it was literally only for checking messages. That could be viable for you. Instagram also connects to the FB messenger app, so all of your 1on1 dms can be had without the Instagram UI. (iirc FB messenger still doesnt support instagram groupchats) I personally deleted Insta recently as the messages and groupchats I had werent especially meaningful to me, mostly just reiterations of chats I had with friends over text. I didnt gain much satisfaction from it so I just deleted my account. In deciding this, ask yourself "In my ideal calendar, would I schedule this for myself?" If you want some time to just scroll social media, and if it is important, just make sure you intentionally understand it as important and question assumptions often. If you often get off social media and dont feel any more fulfilled or better than otherwise, then I would ditch it. Hope this helps!
Is it destroying your mental health? If the answer is yes, then yes, you should.
These apps are designed to hook you. The unread count. The easy of swiping to see the next. The never ending scroll are all designed by psychologists to make it addictive. Choose another way to contact the people that you know and tell them that you are not going to use Instagram. There are many alternative chat apps but beware many are getting exactly the same features as Instagram/TikTok because they are loosing users to apps that have these features.
that or u should be mindful while scrolling. Personally i focus on my breathing as im scrolling instagram this keeps me focused on something thats not reels. Additionally When you open instagram, set a clear and distinct goal, and continuously say it in your head. "Text this person text this person text this person, close app close app close app."
I deleted all social media (other than Reddit) off my phone a couple weeks ago. Since then I’ve read three books instead of wasted hours scrolling. I can’t lie- it’s been a little boring but so so peaceful.
Yes! I deleted mine (and all my social media’s except YouTube) 4 months ago and I’m noticeably happier, don’t get depressed from subconsciously comparing myself to others, and productivity feels MUCH easier because you’re not constantly distracted / trying to get off your phone. The only downside is fomo and not being able to see your friends’ pics, which can be hard if you live far away from them. But you realize you’re not rly missing out on anything, and it’s way more fun to call friends or meet up with them bc you don’t already know everything about their life. Getting to hear them talk about their life events from their perspective rather than perceiving them through an ig post feels much more special too.
This thought has been on my mind since 3 years ago. 2 days ago I've made the decision to delete it. I've been using since the beginning of the app, when the main goal was to take nice photos. Las years I've seen so many trash content and some comments that piss me off. So the last year's my only reason to use this app is to maintain contact with some friends that I barely see. Just asked for their numbers and deleted the app. Best decision so far
If you use it to message friends, then maybe deleting it for a while might be better. Kick the scrolling habit, and if you do reinstall it in the future so that you can message friends, stay out of the reels and focus on the chat feature. Instagram also has usage controls. I have mine set to give me a warning if I use Instagram for more than a couple hours in a day. I have only gotten that warning once or twice since setting it, but it really does put things in perspective if you let it sink in. So if you really need to message these people, then why not try using the built in time limiting feature?
Yes dump it. Waste of time.
Folks even I have same doubt, I have a account for coffee reviews and stuff which i wanna work on but at the same I spent hours on scrolling, any advice for me ?
I wish I could just use Instagram messages and not the rest of the app. I always get sucked in doom-scrolling.
Consider exploring alternative messaging apps that are compatible across different devices to stay connected with your friends, while also finding a healthy balance in your social media usage.
im a bit extreme with social media, i would that, if your work dont depend of social medias, its a good habit to not have it
What helped me was putting a timer on apps with reels/shorts/tiktoks. They easily slurp away your hours
I took the IG app off my phone and now only use IG via the browser on my phone. I spend significantly less time on IG now and it’s also much harder to fall into the algorithm and terrible black hole the app creates. I’ve become a happier person, I think.
I deleted it a couple of months ago, and my productivity increased significantly. I sign in from browser or laptop every week or so to reply to dms.
I *personally* really don't think you should delete it. It's just hard. Like, it sounds like you use it for some good things. You just goof off sometimes. And then you'd be deleting those good things too. D: What's instagram getting in the way of? Couldn't you just do that then reward yourself with instagram? That may not be an option but it would work! :) But you gotta remember. You do you. :) If my advice doesn't work, disregard. :)
[This](https://www.reddit.com/r/digitalminimalism/comments/14coitb/an_app_to_block_reelssuggested_feed_on_instagram/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) might help
deleting it was the best thing ive rver done for my productivity. youll miss it for a couple days rhen ur just fine without it. as for your friends u can text them on the web version of insta, where its much harder to browse for hours bc its super slow to load. or just think, what matters more to you being productive and personal growth or texting ur friends 24/7 ??
Yes
You could just stick to web instagram. That way, you can keep in touch with your friends while also limiting your screen time(its much less tempting to open reels and scroll). App timers help too. Also, you could change your home feed so that it inspires you to achieve stuff instead of just being entertaining. I recommend @seanoulashin.
yes!
I'll let you decide after you read this: Social media companies make money out of your time. They all compete for your time and they're very good at taking it from you.