Over the holidays I wanted to attempt an Instagram detox. I’ve gotten into a disgusting habit of sitting on my phone scrolling aimlessly to no avail. It was truly a terrible habit I couldn’t kick. As bloggers though, we’re under the impression that the more time you spend on Instagram liking and commenting, the more your business grows. And I hate to break it to you, that’s not how it works. And my detox was proof of that.
Why You Should Do A Digital Detox
Blogger or not, a digital detox is a great thing to do. By deleting your social media apps for a few days, you’ll reset your mind, create new habits and hopefully find some joy in new hobbies! Without us even realizing it, social media can cause stress and anxiety, along with other mental health issues. A recent study showed that those who used Facebook saw a reduction in life satisfaction. It’s part of the reason why I deleted my Facebook Newsfeed and it’s been GREAT. But I haven’t addressed my other social accounts.
A digital detox can also help to encourage you to interact and engage with people IN REAL LIFE. What a concept! Social media makes us think we’re engaging with people, but it’s still just a screen. It’s not true human interaction which we all NEED.
How You Can Still Post To Instagram And Not Even Have The App On Your Phone
I recently started using Facebook’s scheduling tool for Instagram called “Facebook Creator Studio”. This is found in your business page under Publishing Tools. On this platform, you can schedule your Instagram posts in advance and they will auto-post to Instagram for you. There are NO other apps or platforms that can do this. Only Facebook Creator Studio.
There are a plethora of apps that you can plan and schedule your Instagram posts (I personally use PLANN and really love it) but it can not post FOR you.
Benefits Of Using Facebook Creator Studio
The benefits of the Facebook Creator Studio is that you can not only write out your caption and include your photo, but you can do ALL the things you would do if you were in the Instagram app. Here’s what you’re able to do:
- Tag brands in the caption (they populate so you can make sure you’re tagging the right ones)
- Tag brands IN THE PHOTO – yup you read that right!
- Geotag the location you want to include
- Tag a brand partner for those sponsored posts
- Crop your photo – vertical, landscape or square, you can determine the size!
- Schedule for a later date, or
- Publish immediately if you like
The only thing you can not do (or I haven’t figured it out yet) is making the post shoppable with products in your catalog. Most bloggers don’t really use this feature though, it’s mostly a brand one. But I have used it in the past, verdict still out on if I prefer it over LTK or not.
Consistent Content
When you plan out content and use a scheduler, you’re committing to more consistent content. Which in turn, can result in better engagement, more followers and a better brand image. By putting the energy in ahead of time to create a content calendar, you won’t be worried about “what do I need to post right now” and rush into a post that doesn’t perform well. Take time to think out thoughtful captions, using images that you know perform well and schedule for when your followers are online. The latter is especially helpful if you’re busy traveling or have a packed day and can’t get to your phone. Having content planned and ready to go when your followers are on the app, is to your benefit!
Save Time
I would always find myself stopping what I’m doing to get an Instagram post up. Or getting my Instagram in-feed post live and then find myself scrolling when I didn’t plan to. By having posts auto-publish, I never have to pick up my phone and get distracted.
How I Planned My Instagram Detox
In order to take 2 weeks off of Instagram, and still post, I did have to do some pre-planning. I personally like to batch work anyway. To do this, I set aside some time before my Instagram detox to plan out my feed for the days I needed to post. Between any sponsored posts, seasonal posts, and just posting because I wanted to, I started to fill out my grid. I use the desktop app, PLANN, to plan out my grid. I really love using this for several reasons. You have a media gallery you can upload to, you can drag and drop items, and visually see your grid come to life. I also schedule and plan out my IG Stories here and also reply to any comments on my IG in-feed posts.
After planning out the dozen or so images that I wanted to go live during my detox, I added them to Facebook Creator Studio. I added images, the caption, any tags etc. Since I also make all of my images shoppable through LikeToKnow.it, I also uploaded those images to the app and scheduled those out.
The Results Of My Instagram Detox
Contrary to popular belief, you do not HAVE to live on your Instagram to see engagement, growth and success. And you don’t have to be on social media to be cool, interact with friends or whatever it is that people think why they HAVE to be on it. Here were some of my results of doing a mini digital detox.
Good Performing Posts + New Followers
I actually had 2 posts perform phenomenally. Why? Because I know the combination of image style and caption style that usually works well to get engagement. Not all posts perform super well, and that’s just how it goes with Instagram. But the fact that I was still posting, some doing quite well too, I was keeping my social presence alive for my brand. And a real big perk? I was also generating income through LikeToKnow.it.
A Mental Break
The mental break that I so badly needed was a wonderful result of this detox. I feel like I really broke my habit of constantly picking up my phone to aimlessly scroll. I also felt a lot better mentally especially during the holidays since I wasn’t comparing my holiday, my single-ness, to everyone else’s Stories they were sharing. Something I do often without even realizing it. The comparison game is so very apparent whether you think so or not.
More Productive + More Present
By being off my phone and Instagram, I was more productive, more present and got more important things done. Because I wasn’t on my phone, I did end up responding to any comments from my computer which is always more efficient. This keeps me off my phone even more so, and instead, more focused on getting bigger picture things done.
Sure, a digital detox means no computer too, but whatever. Just not having the need or want to pick up my phone to IG Story everything, I was also so much more present while with friends and family. A habit I now can’t stand, being on my phone with people around. Can we all agree to put our phones away when we’re together? K, thanks.
I Read A Book
I’m not a big reader, but without having a phone to distract me and take up my time, I ended up reading an entire book in less than 3 days. I read The Testaments, if you’re a Handmaids Tale fan, highly recommend it. But this is now something I think I may do every weekend to encourage me to read more!
Photo by Tyler Nix
