Less Scrolling, More Creating

Taking a Break from Social Media (and Why It’s Helping My Creative Energy)

It’s been about a week since I stepped away from social media, mainly Instagram, and I’ve decided to keep going for a while. No official rules. No big exit. Just a quiet decision to log off and take a break.

It started when I realized how much time I was spending on my phone. I’d open the app to check one thing, and suddenly an hour had passed. I wasn’t learning anything or feeling more connected. I was just scrolling, and then wondering where my time and energy had gone. I felt like I was seeking something, some unknown information that would make my life better or easier or more efficient.

At the same time, I noticed how much content I was absorbing that I didn’t really want or ask for. Updates, opinions, bad news, trends. It was getting harder to focus on my own thoughts. My creative energy felt muted and more anxious. So I gave myself permission to pause.

The pressure to always share

One thing I’ve always sensed is how much pressure there is to document your life online. If I stop by to check out a new trendy local coffee shop and order a beautifully crafted drink, I feel like I should take a photo and immediately post it to instagram stories (even before I know if it tastes good!). If I travel, there’s this expectation to record every step, every sight, and turn it into a highlights reel. Its all good if its fun and energizing to do this. But our last vacation, I didn’t have the urge. The problem is, when I decided I wasn’t going to immediately post a video about our big trip last month, I felt…guilt?

Which is strange, when you stop and think about it. Guilty for not posting? For not curating the moment?

That’s when I knew I needed some space. I want to experience things because they’re meaningful or beautiful, not because they might look good in a highlight. Right now, that means letting more moments stay personal and offline.

Noticing the difference

Even after just one week, I’ve noticed a shift. I feel more mentally clear. I’ve been journaling, sketching, reading again. Not because I set out to be more productive, but because I actually feel like doing those things.

My focus is steadier. I’m not checking in with a feed before checking in with myself.

There’s research that supports this too. A 2018 study from the University of Pennsylvania found that limiting social media to thirty minutes a day lowered anxiety. Another study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found that taking even one week off helped people feel more balanced and in control of their time.

But more than anything, I can feel the difference. There’s more space to think. More room to notice what I actually care about.

I’m still creating

I haven’t stopped working or making things. I’m still designing, writing, and moving forward with projects that matter to me. The only difference is that I’m not sharing those moments publicly right now.

And it’s helping. It feels quieter, but in a good way. Like I’m letting my creative energy rebuild without constantly broadcasting it.

If you’ve been feeling it too

If your attention has been scattered, or your creativity feels flat, it’s okay to take a step back from social media. You don’t have to disappear or explain it. You can simply decide to pause.

Try logging out for a day or two. See how it feels not to document everything or scroll endlessly. You might notice something shift. Maybe your mind feels more at peace. Maybe your ideas return in a new way.

Right now, I’m just giving myself room to think clearly and create without distraction. It feels like the right step for where I’m at right now. I’m not sure how long I’ll go. I will log back in when the time is right and I feel excited and energized to post and share again.