You Have the Choice to Take Back Your Attention
“Today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want.” - Ken Poirot
Buckle up, my friends, this is going to be a bumpy one.
Forgive the cheesy opener, but it’s true. I have A LOT to say about this topic.
Today’s post is going to make some people roll their eyes because I think it’s falling into the category of a “trend,” and if there’s one thing we’ve learned from this digital age it’s that trends come and go.
Starting today, April 1st, I will sign off social media. I say social media, but what I mean is Instagram. It’s the only one I have, though I signed up for Bluesky so I could snag my name. It’s not a common name, but I enjoy knowing it’s mine. 😂
I’ve done Instagram breaks in the past. Some lasted a week, some one month. The longest I ever went off Instagram was 11 months. Just shy of a year.
But lately, I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos about people leaving social media (some for good, others for a year or more). I’ve also been reading a lot of Substack posts about the topic as well.
I was particularly drawn to the videos created by Gen Z creators such as Gillian Laird, as her message and motivations resonated deeply with me.
You can watch her inaugural post here:
Here’s a slightly darker, albeit insightful, version. I was nodding so much watching this one and his message is ultimately positive in the end.
There were a few others, but these videos are my favorite, especially Gillian’s since her channel touches on other topics such as how the internet has ruined other things like identity, feminism, and dating. As an asexual, I can’t speak to the dating part, but I agree with the identity and feminism stances.
Another thing that inspired me has been movies and shows set in the 1990s. I’m a millennial, and I’m not ashamed to say that having lived in the before and after of the internet/social media takeover, the before time was truly unmatched.
Watching shows like Derry Girls and Sex & the City, and movies like The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The To-Do List has been so nostalgic and a great motivator.
I can already hear the rebuttals because I’ve heard them every time I’ve taken a break:
What about your writing career?
How will you know what’s going on in the world?
How will I share funny memes with you now?
What about all the funny accounts that spread joy and positivity?
Again, I could write a post about each of these rebuttals and maybe I will, but for now, here are my brief responses.
Writing
What could being off Instagram do to my writing career? How will people know I have a book out there (not yet, but one day) if I’m not plastering it all over social media for them to know?
For starters, most of your followers aren’t even seeing your posts unless they go to your direct profile. Don’t believe me? Look at your stats and see the ratio of followers to non-followers. Sure, non-followers seeing information about my book could be helpful, but if they don’t know me, why would they investigate further?
Second, word of mouth is still an effective way for people to learn about new books. This is why we need libraries and bookstores. And with more and more people tiring of ad bombardment on these apps, it’s even more important.
Yes, #booktok and #bookstagram have been beneficial in helping readers find new books, but most of those books are the same. Same author, same genre… Variety is lacking.
News
The world is in shambles. I don’t need to open up Instagram every day and see the horrifying developments this administration is doing. I already know.
I plan to watch the news the old-fashioned way: on television. Once a day (maybe even once a week) to hear updates and then move on. I don’t need to scream into the void, spreading the same devastating information, when there are already enough people doing that.
Funny Memes
I’ve already told my family and friends (the majority of whom send me those funny memes) that they’ll have to show me them on their phones.
Joy and Positivity
Yes, there are accounts I follow whose core message is keeping things light, positive, and joyful. However, to reach their page, I had to navigate through posts that pissed me off, made me cry, and made me laugh. My emotions can’t handle the roller coaster anymore.
Why not go straight to their page? Because the scroll still did, on occasion, introduce me to new accounts. I don’t want to rely solely on chance when scrolling through accounts to find the few creators who bring joy to my life. I’d rather leave them all behind.
You don’t need me to ramble on about the ways social media is destroying our confidence, creativity, culture, identity, finances, and human decency. I’ll link some resources below if you’re interested in learning more.
But since this is my journey, here are my reasons for getting off of social media:
Comparison
Time-suck
Creativity
Financial
Political discord
Digital pacifier
I plan on expanding this bullet list into longer pieces because I feel it warrants more than a single dot, but that will come down the road. If there’s one you particularly want me to cover, leave a comment.
So, with all of that said, where can you connect with me?
Well, Substack is one. Part of ditching Instagram is to give me more time for this publication, something I’ve been meaning to do for a while. I am keeping my Bluesky account and will maybe cross-post my Notes over there. Bluesky hasn’t become addictive (yet), so I’m allowing it to stay on my phone.
My website is another one and the updates are almost done.
I will shout from the rooftops that every single business or individual who sells products, services, or artwork—authors, I’m looking at you too—NEEDS a website. And an email list.
Yes, my Substack subscribers are technically an email list, but I also have a sign-up form on my website as well. If you venture over there, you might notice that I post the same content there as I do here. That’s intentional.
Should Substack ever shut down, crash, or be sold to a billionaire who wants to change the fabric of its being, I have a backup of everything on my website. If you follow me here, might I recommend joining my normal email list? You won’t hear from me as much on there, but you will get a fun freebie for subscribing.
Remember the infamous Meta crash of 2024 that left everyone freaking out for TWO HOURS? Two hours! Those who had email lists could still reach their audience. This isn’t business marketing scams, my friends, it’s vital.
Spread your online presence to more than just social media. And start now.
As for other social media platforms: I’ve never had TikTok, I deleted my Twitter ten or so odd years ago, and I deleted my Facebook even longer than that.
Unfortunately, part of my day job includes social media marketing. I am a Communications Coordinator, so I will still be exposed to it, but we use a third-party app for posting without having to go on the actual platform.
When I look for a new job in the fall, I will try to avoid social media marketing, as even posting about education, which is a topic worthy of attention and consumption, sometimes makes me uncomfortable.
Okay, this post has already surpassed the length I was aiming for, and I haven’t even made it through half of my notes. I’ll publish more on this topic in the future.
To end this one, let me say that I’m aware people can use these apps intentionally. I’ve tried. I’ve tried time limits, taking the app off my phone, and only using the desktop version. Nothing stuck. And every break I returned from made my addiction worse. The boundaries I set in place failed, which is funny because I’m great about boundaries in other aspects of my life.
Sometimes, you need to say goodbye to things that no longer serve you, and for me, that’s Instagram. Perhaps for a year, or maybe forever. Only time will tell.
Additional Resources
The Social Dilemma (Netflix)
Youtube: Gillian Laird | Cal Newport | Kate Cassidy
Substack Articles
While I understand being paid for your work is important, I’m also aware we all have financial restrictions. In lieu of a paywall, please consider buying me a coffee instead. A little caffeine goes a long way for a writer, and I will be forever grateful for the fuel.
I decided to cut out YouTube (I don’t have social media) in April as an experiment as well. I spend my afternoons lost on videos that add nothing to my life. Looking forward to hearing about your experience!