I Stopped Using Instagram and YouTube For 30 days and Here’s What Happened.

Technology is a double-edged sword. It comes with its share of pros and cons. But the problem arrives when the cons far outweigh the pros. I’m an avid reader and lately, I have realized that my ability to concentrate has decreased dramatically.

The regular consumption of an endless supply of content on multiple social media platforms. I felt less energized and more anxious. All of this was happening on a much deeper level and was unable to retain the pleasure I experienced while reading a book.

I decided to go on a 10-day digital detox after I had had it with aimlessly consuming content. These are the differences I noticed throughout the first 10 days, which inspired me to continue the detox for an additional 20 days. Here are the key takeaways from the experiment.

Initial Phase:

The first few days were difficult because I didn't give my brain what it wanted, which was to go through social media or watch YouTube videos. I was resolved to keep up the fight in order to find out what was at the end of the dark tunnel.

The Honeymoon Phase:

After the first week, there is a honeymoon period where you start to wonder why you were using these sites so much in the first place. I could feel my superpowers returning; I could read for hours without craving for social media.

I was considerably better able to control my desire of mindlessly scrolling social media after fighting through the first week. I suddenly felt as though I had more than 24 hours in a day to do all of my tasks and still have time to handle other activities as well.

My sleep cycle improved, previously I used to sleep around midnight. But now with no social media, I felt sleepy much early. My body felt better when I slept properly; I felt more vibrant and less groggy which inspired me to repeat good behaviors throughout the next day as well.

When I didn't have anything else to do, I sat by myself & let my thoughts fly like a kite in the sky. It provided me the opportunity to reflect about my life and goals. These sessions turned out to be great because they helped me in coming up with new ideas & fresh perspectives.

I think I became more compassionate and more mindful of the little things around me. I started eating without a screen in front of me, I was able to eat more mindfully, with gratitude for each bite, and surprisingly felt more full with less food.

A life without social media is much more addictive than the glamor of social media platforms. The first few days are challenging but as you spend more days without it, the life of no social media will seduce you to a level that you will not feel like your old self again.