As an artist who has built my entire business using Instagram, taking a break feels like a risk. If I don’t constantly remind people who I am and what I make and what I am selling on the app that we all spend tons of time on, can I still make a living?
Its such a hard balance, and I feel all that you are saying as well. Thanks for being an example and taking the lead so that I could also follow that this month. It's relieving mainly!
Setting a social media “schedule” for JHP has really helped with some of my ‘work social media’ frustration and procrastinating. Having to be social media managers on top of any other job is exhausting for sure. Always so enriching to read your perspective ♥️
You write about a common conundrum on all social media, even here at Substack. There's only so much time in a day to scroll, read, comment, search...for other people's stuff while tending to your own. I'll be checking in to see what you learn about the impact on your business, not just your mental state! Thanks.
Yes so far I've resisted downloading the Substack app on my phone so I'm not just trading out one mindless scroll for another. At least here on Substack the content is so far much more meaningful to me than what my Instagram feed turned into, so it feels more enriching and less draining. And yes, we'll see if/how the months away affect my businesses at all!
I too have had january off instagram but as soon as feb hit although in the moment I wasn’t too bothered, now I have done the 30 days I am sloping back to where I was in the itchy fingers and needing to be back there. I too feel like I need to be there for a creative business although I don’t have the following so I’m not sure why I feel like I need to be there but I do. I related to a lot of what you said you missed and actually have a similar post drafted. I think the missing out on friends is a big one and hard to remedy with limited time but does just seeing people’s photos count as staying in touch? It’s definitely been an eye opening month, whether we stay or go.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience Kylie-Ann. I definitely relate to the feeling of itchy fingers as well as needing to have some kind of presence on Instagram, but wanting to change how I show up there. An eye-opening month indeed!
Thanks for the shout-out! Love your term 'late night disassociation scrolls' - so good to have a word for this! I have temporarily deleted Instagram in the past and felt so much better for it. I was able to sustain better Instagram habits afterwards too I thought, but not forever! Maybe the key is regular breaks. I know what you mean about finding another way to scroll though - I am a born procrastinator and can remember being a kid and reading an entire book while still in my towel because I couldn't be bothered to get dressed 😂 So I fear that even if I got rid of my phone altogether I would still find a way to distracted myself from what I'm supposed to be doing. It WOULD be nicer if that thing was reading a book from cover to cover, though...
Of course, thank you for writing that great essay! I think you're right that the key may be regular breaks. I have a friend who takes the month of August off every year, and maybe I'll end up taking January off each year since it works well with the seasonal rhythm of my businesses.
PS. I also turn off suggested content on Instagram so I don't have random animal videos interspersed among the people I've chosen to follow. They've hidden this away in settings and you can only do it for 30 days at a time so they obviously don't want people to do it!
Yes!! I just figured out how to do this in my one day back on the app this weekend! Such a good and accessible fix for shifting our feeds back to people we've actually chosen to follow.
January was my first Instagram free month in years (as well as Facebook). Fortunately for me I never missed either of them and felt so much better about the free time I got back. Hope the time away continues to prove beneficial for you.
I’m an artist and I still enjoy Instagram, although I have very strict boundaries around it. I only use it as a portfolio, nothing personal in there, and I’m gradually deleting the number of accounts I follow to get it down to just the artists and galleries I want to see in my feed. I love Substack but no galleries or art collectors hang out here—hopefully they will in the future.
I wish I could maintain better boundaries around my instagram use. I like your mindset around it and unfollowing accounts that aren't in alignment with those boundaries is a great idea. Yes, agreed that hopefully we see more visual art related folks here in the future!
Its such a hard balance, and I feel all that you are saying as well. Thanks for being an example and taking the lead so that I could also follow that this month. It's relieving mainly!
It’s a conundrum for visual artists like us for sure!
Setting a social media “schedule” for JHP has really helped with some of my ‘work social media’ frustration and procrastinating. Having to be social media managers on top of any other job is exhausting for sure. Always so enriching to read your perspective ♥️
Thank you friend. A schedule/plan always seems so appealing. I want to chat with you more next time I see you about how you made yours!
You write about a common conundrum on all social media, even here at Substack. There's only so much time in a day to scroll, read, comment, search...for other people's stuff while tending to your own. I'll be checking in to see what you learn about the impact on your business, not just your mental state! Thanks.
Yes so far I've resisted downloading the Substack app on my phone so I'm not just trading out one mindless scroll for another. At least here on Substack the content is so far much more meaningful to me than what my Instagram feed turned into, so it feels more enriching and less draining. And yes, we'll see if/how the months away affect my businesses at all!
I too have had january off instagram but as soon as feb hit although in the moment I wasn’t too bothered, now I have done the 30 days I am sloping back to where I was in the itchy fingers and needing to be back there. I too feel like I need to be there for a creative business although I don’t have the following so I’m not sure why I feel like I need to be there but I do. I related to a lot of what you said you missed and actually have a similar post drafted. I think the missing out on friends is a big one and hard to remedy with limited time but does just seeing people’s photos count as staying in touch? It’s definitely been an eye opening month, whether we stay or go.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience Kylie-Ann. I definitely relate to the feeling of itchy fingers as well as needing to have some kind of presence on Instagram, but wanting to change how I show up there. An eye-opening month indeed!
Thanks for the shout-out! Love your term 'late night disassociation scrolls' - so good to have a word for this! I have temporarily deleted Instagram in the past and felt so much better for it. I was able to sustain better Instagram habits afterwards too I thought, but not forever! Maybe the key is regular breaks. I know what you mean about finding another way to scroll though - I am a born procrastinator and can remember being a kid and reading an entire book while still in my towel because I couldn't be bothered to get dressed 😂 So I fear that even if I got rid of my phone altogether I would still find a way to distracted myself from what I'm supposed to be doing. It WOULD be nicer if that thing was reading a book from cover to cover, though...
Of course, thank you for writing that great essay! I think you're right that the key may be regular breaks. I have a friend who takes the month of August off every year, and maybe I'll end up taking January off each year since it works well with the seasonal rhythm of my businesses.
Ooh that's a good idea! Maybe I should think about formalising/scheduling my instagram breaks
PS. I also turn off suggested content on Instagram so I don't have random animal videos interspersed among the people I've chosen to follow. They've hidden this away in settings and you can only do it for 30 days at a time so they obviously don't want people to do it!
Yes!! I just figured out how to do this in my one day back on the app this weekend! Such a good and accessible fix for shifting our feeds back to people we've actually chosen to follow.
January was my first Instagram free month in years (as well as Facebook). Fortunately for me I never missed either of them and felt so much better about the free time I got back. Hope the time away continues to prove beneficial for you.
Reclaiming time is a huge benefit. I'm glad you enjoyed your time away from the apps. Do you plan to stay off of them for the time being?
I actually deleted my accounts. I didn't trust myself! So yes, I am staying off for good.
That is awesome!!
I’m an artist and I still enjoy Instagram, although I have very strict boundaries around it. I only use it as a portfolio, nothing personal in there, and I’m gradually deleting the number of accounts I follow to get it down to just the artists and galleries I want to see in my feed. I love Substack but no galleries or art collectors hang out here—hopefully they will in the future.
I wish I could maintain better boundaries around my instagram use. I like your mindset around it and unfollowing accounts that aren't in alignment with those boundaries is a great idea. Yes, agreed that hopefully we see more visual art related folks here in the future!