I deleted instagram and facebook for 6 weeks....

A much needed social media detox if you will. Was I addicted to it?


At the beginning of April I deleted Instagram and Facebook. I should have done it a lot sooner than I did, but hey, I did it. The truth is I had felt convicted for a while to truly remove all the distractions. I kept saying no, or postponing the fast until it was more convenient or a better time. I kept saying I needed it for photography but never posted anything. I kept saving recipes and told myself I needed Instagram so I could make some of the meals…. The truth is, I was addicted to it. As soon as I picked up my phone I’d check social media, and then that quickly turned into 30 minutes of scrolling. I couldn’t even watch a short tv show without pulling out my phone and scrolling…. It was a problem and I knew the Lord had placed it on my heart to break that habit… but as the sinner I am, I kept saying no and convincing myself I would just be better about it. But we all know that didn’t work out. It started with removing the app from my home screen (it didn't take long for muscle memory to kick in and swipe just a page over to get to back to it). Back to square one. I knew deep down the only way to stay off for a bit was to physically delete the apps. So that's what I did.


At first it was a bit of an adjustment. I'd sit down to nurse the baby and immediately get on my phone to scroll, but this time I couldn't. Eventually I got used to it and didn't think about it much. I stopped wasting my time on frivolous things. I wasn't overwhelmed by all the crap you see online, and constantly questioning what is true and what isn't. Do you ever just wish we could go back to the times of no social media? Or perhaps the days where it was just simple pictures or videos that people posted… silly unaesthetic photos. Before stories and reels and people making money off of it were a thing. My feed became so overwhelmed with political posts I didn't care about and then add comparing myself to other moms online sometimes.... let alone the sheer amount of time I spend on my phone. It was a problem that needed fixing.


A few key takeaways during my social media fast… 

  • I was more present with my kids. There. I said it. Convicted is an understatement. The truth is I enjoyed hanging out with them more and preferred being off my phone. I actually enjoyed being a mom more. I found myself many times just sitting and watching the girls play or do school or cook and was just so thankful for this simple life… doesn’t mean every day was perfect, but I felt more at peace and content where we were at. 
  • I let my phone die many times and didn’t care. I’m very much the type of person who pulls into the gas station with 10 miles left in the tank and phone battery at 1% (true story). It’s a problem I know, I’m actively working on that. 
  • Are you ready for this one?? I still couldn’t keep the house clean or keep on top of laundry (welcome to having 3 kids haha). But I will say it didn’t overwhelm me as much. 
  • I slept more. No more late night scrolling or middle of the night scrolling. Instead I read or watched a show with Colin or literally stared into nothing or prayed.
  • I took less photos and videos because I wasn't constantly thinking about posting an update or a cute photo. But also it made me sad because I took less photos and videos (if that makes sense). As a photographer it is really hard for me to not document life. It’s just a built in instinct. 
  • My screen time on my phone was down by 40%…… yeah that’s embarrassing. But hey, I think we all knew it would be a significant change. And quite honestly most of my screen time now is from looking up recipes or texting people…. Which leads me into my next takeaway -->
  • I was better at texting people back. I truly do sometimes forget or get easily distracted, but responses weren’t quite as long. I didn’t feel overwhelmed in having to respond to messages. 
  • I read more. I read multiple books and did a Bible study.
  • I was more content. This should be top of the list honestly. I wasn’t constantly comparing myself to another mom, or wishing I had those clothes, or questioning my purpose as a mom and wife. Did I still have days where I felt gross or uncomfortable in my body? Of course. I’m human and that feeling is something I’m constantly trying to chase away. But I picked back up and trucked on (is that even a saying?) because I know God gave me three beautiful babies earth-side, and my body image shouldn’t be the only thing I think about.  
  • I spent less money…. A funny thing to say but it’s true. I wasn’t watching people post their cute Amazon outfits or Walmart finds so I didn’t feel the pressure to be cute like them (cue more contentment). I didn't spend countless hours scrolling marketplace for things I didn't truly need. But I would like to point out that I am very good at finding good deals on there (insert praying hands emoji).


And those are some of my takeaways. A ton of life happened in those 6 weeks off social media, and I learned a lot more self discipline. It started as a week long detox and quickly turned into 6 weeks. As each week went by I kept saying to myself "what's another week"?


I'll get back on for a time and I'm sure I'll be periodically deleting the apps from here on out. If any of this resonated with you I pray you feel encouraged and know you’re not alone. I say this in the best way possible, if you say you can’t physically delete social media for even just a little bit of a detox, you may be addicted to it. It may be time to take a break. Focus on your relationship with God, your family, your friends. I promise you won't regret it. And honestly you aren't missing out on much.



With Love,

Kimra