Why You Should Balance Your Instagram Time


Precisely five photos of Neil Armstrong were taken when he first stepped on the moon. That’s in contrast to approximately 50 photos that some people take these days when they step into a hotel bathroom. This glaring inconsistency shows how much our lives have changed in the past 50 years, and how much they revolve around photo-sharing social media platforms like Instagram. It is easy for social media naysayers to demand that people delete their account and remove Instagram from their phones. However, social media is a real thing and it is here to stay. What people can strive to do is to limit their Instagram time and stay in the now without raising the younger generation in an oblivious bubble that will burst as soon as they step out of the house without parental supervision. 

When it comes to juggling time on your phone, using social media, or even visiting your favourite online bingo sites, with real life, there are a lot of questions that can come up. How can a person stay in touch with her children, spouse, and family when they are constantly plugged in to their phones? Is it even possible to find a balance between the two? No one in this world has an exact answer to these questions; however, there are certainly ways people can cope. Let’s say you’re a full-time worker with a family. Typically, such a person will work approximately 40 hours a week, plus their commuting time. That means the time you spend with your family, especially your children, is very limited, perhaps just a couple of hours during weekdays. During this time, you also have to carry out all your familial and parental duties, so naturally you won’t want to waste this precious time clicking away on Instagram. 

So, what you can do when you have a get-together with your relatives and friends, is start by taking a few pictures early on and then firmly place your phone away in a bag or pocket, with the intention of not looking at it for the rest of the evening. This way you won’t miss anything important that is going on in your loved ones lives. If you work full-time also, you will also have the opportunity of checking your Instagram notifications and engaging with their followers during your breaks. Dealing with Instagram notifications can be a big hassle as well. Anyone who first joins Instagram and has a small follower base, only gets about 5 to 10 notifications per day, if even that. But once they have hundreds of people following them, they can get hundreds of notifications every single day. A single posted picture can receive dozens of comments and likes in just a few minutes. Keeping up with them means opening the Instagram app every few minutes to check the notifications, just so that nothing is missed. However, after a certain time, this becomes impossible if you also want to maintain an Instagram-life balance. 

At first, you may experience some stress, as you might feel you are being rude by not answering your notifications promptly, with a fear that you will be alienated by your friends. However, logically, real friends and family don’t just up and vanish if someone takes a step back from Instagram. Additionally, you will also be free from the constant pressure of liking and commenting on other people’s photos. This can be a pretty liberating feeling. Sure, you may probably experience a drop in followers and won’t gain others quickly, but this will be offset by reduced stress and more quality time with your loved ones. 

So, here is how you can balance Instagram time: 
If you work full-time, you can make the most of your one-hour break and go online. They can view your notifications and comments on other people’s posts. You can also take a few snaps of yourself enjoying a lunch with your colleagues at the office lunch room or a nice café. Besides this time, you shouldn't keep the notifications alerts turned on — otherwise, you'll never get any work done or enjoy time with family and friends. If you use the app for promoting your business or are looking to start earning money as an influencer you'll need to build up your audience. Using a site that can get you followers on Instagram can be a good way to get the ball rolling- this often causes a snowball effect as people are more likely to follow bigger accounts than those that are very new and just starting out.  Another important thing to do is to not worry about missing a post or two from a friend. If they are true friends, they will stick with you anyway. A person doesn’t have to keep on top of other photos and videos coming into their Instagram feed as well. When signing into your Instagram account, you can choose a few important friends and accounts to visit and engage with. 

You shouldn’t waste time replying to every single one of the likes or comments your followers make. It is not a bad idea to reply to a particularly thoughtful comment, but you shouldn’t blame yourself if you miss some. That’s how life works. Research shows that social media like Instagram is literally designed to make users addicted. However, people don’t need to be on Instagram all the time to stay engaged with their community —you won’t lose any real followers or any real friends. Those who do leave are not who you need. Instagram users can still find a lot of enjoyment and experience through photos, captions, and conversations, without digesting all of it. Your relationship with Instagram can be whatever you want it to be. 

For a good Instagram-life balance, you should try to use Instagram only during breaks or when you are all alone at home. Resisting the temptation to photograph every perceived milestone in life can provide you with the opportunity to just be in the moment and enjoy yourself.