Over the past year, I’ve quietly quit social media several times. Sometimes for a week. Sometimes for a month. I moved Twitter and Instagram to a hard-to-find spot on my phone and pretended they didn’t exist. I stopped posting updates, checking messages, and consuming content. (Full disclosure: I left Facebook years ago without looking back, and I never joined TikTok due to security concerns.)
As someone who has used the internet in both professional and personal capacities for more than two decades, it felt weird to quit social media. I’ve spent years talking about food on Twitter and Instagram. How could I just step away?
But quitting felt necessary to understand what role it plays in my life. We all know deep down that social media can be a time suck. It’s easy to start browsing an app and find yourself scrolling an hour later. It’s like eating chips—you go for a handful and end up finishing half the bag. Too often, you feel regret after both these experiences.
I don’t want to quit social media for good. I just want to use my time more wisely. Life is often better with less scrolling, more doing. These are some of my biggest realizations after I quit social media:
Being a Content Creator Is Often Hard Work
Whether you’re an independent creator or manage a branded account, you know that producing high-quality social media content takes effort. It wasn’t until I quit social media that I reflected on how much I do: research and write articles, shoot and edit photos, design graphics, film videos and more. Basically, I’m a one-person creative team.
An Imperfect Feed is a Beautiful Feed
The Millennial urge to have a perfectly curated feed is out. Gen Z is driving content that is more eclectic, more dynamic, and less polished. This probably somewhat reflects the growing emphasis on video content; it’s harder to filter and manipulate moving images than it is a single static photo. Personally, I love it. I’d rather see a creator’s unique style than a grid splashed with the same photo presets as everyone else.
The Algorithm Keeps You Addicted
The olden days of simple social media feeds are long gone. Back when you could post a sandwich or a selfie and it automatically appeared in chronological order. Nowadays, social media platforms employ ever changing, increasingly sophisticated algorithms to populate your feed. The notion is that they’ll learn from your likes, clicks, and follows to give you the best tailored content. But who is it really for? The companies want to keep your eyeballs hooked so they can generate ad revenue. They’re intentionally sucking up your time for their profit.
Chasing Trends and Fads Gets Tiring
Most of us don’t create content in a vacuum, so it’s natural to be influenced by the popular zeitgeist. But social media’s breakneck speed can make it hard to keep up with all the micro-trends. (Plus, skip Twitter for a day and you can easily miss a Main Character discourse.) There has to be more to life than tracking down social media’s most popular sandwich, which inevitably will be forgotten a week later.
I’m Sick of Clickbait and Food Waste
The trend cycle is accompanied by the clickbait cycle. I will be happy if I never again see the ‘biggest taco on the planet goes viral,’ or ‘30 pounds of the gooiest fudge brownies ever.’ Or a slim, conventionally attractive woman shoving a giant pizza slice in her mouth while sitting poolside. Outrageous gluttony was a novelty in 2015. I’m ready to move on from glorifying food waste. Though if you’re genuinely proud of your original taco or brownie recipe, please send them my way.
Authenticity is Wonderful But Elusive
Some social media accounts feel like they are driven by real people sharing real experiences. It’s enjoyable to get a glimpse of the world through their points of view. But it can be hard to find these accounts, especially the smaller ones. Unfortunately, many accounts post low-quality content under the guise of being ‘real’ and ‘raw.’ It tends to feel like an excuse to post something—anything!—to stay relevant. Since I quit social media, I’ve become extra mindful of what I post. I try to keep my authentic voice and share things that I find interesting, entertaining, or meaningful.