For a full year, I gave one of my collaborators access to my Instagram account. They posted everything. Every project. Every update. Every drop. And I stayed off the app. No scrolling. No checking notifications. No lurking.
The idea was pretty simple:
If I want to talk about creativity, focus, and community, I should test what happens when I remove the biggest digital distraction in my life.
Here’s what actually happened.
What Happens When You Step Away From the Scroll
The most obvious change?
My screen time dropped dramatically.
Research consistently shows that reducing social media usage can improve mood, decrease anxiety, and increase overall well-being. A 2018 study from the University of Pennsylvania found that limiting social media to 30 minutes per day significantly reduced feelings of loneliness and depression. Other research has linked heavy social media use to increased stress levels, attention fragmentation, and lower sleep quality - which I can 100% sign off of.
When I stepped off Instagram, I felt that shift.
But here’s the part no one talks about:
I didn’t suddenly become screen-free. I just replaced Instagram with something else. Arghhh, why is your phone built that way? I downloaded Strava.Started tracking my workouts.And somehow found myself scrolling fitness stats for hours? If you have a device in your hand, you’ll find something to consume. These platforms are engineered for engagement. The habit isn’t always the app - it’s the behavior.
The Unexpected Creative Benefit
The biggest upside wasn’t lower screen time.
It was forced inspiration.
Without Instagram feeding me references 24/7, I had to look elsewhere.
Books I was reading.
Films I normally wouldn’t watch.
Subway ads that caught my eye.
Random visual details in the city.
Studies on creativity suggest that exposure to diverse, offline stimuli improves associative thinking; the ability to connect unrelated ideas in novel ways. When you’re not constantly consuming similar content from your niche, your creative inputs widen.
And that matters.
Instead of subconsciously copying trends, I started absorbing textures, pacing, typography, sound design, and storytelling from places that weren’t algorithmically curated.
It felt slower. But it felt deeper.
The Cost: Losing the Social in Social Media
Here’s the part I didn’t expect to happen, I actually felt slightly out of touch.
There’s something important about seeing what your peers are building. Watching your friends experiment. Feeling the creative pulse of your community. Social media has obvious downsides. But it is social.
Over the course of that year, there was a creative gap, a missing loop of shared influence. Inspiration isn’t just internal. It’s relational.
And more importantly, I lost something bigger:
Genuine community interaction. DMs. Comments. Conversations. The small daily touchpoints that actually make this feel human. That part mattered more than I anticipated.
Where I Am Now
Well, I’m back on Instagram.
But differently.
I use an app locker (Opal) to limit my usage to specific hours. Behavioral research shows that friction, even small barriers like app timers, significantly reduces compulsive checking. You don’t need perfect discipline. You need structure.
Now I engage intentionally. When I’m on, I’m on. When I’m off, I’m off. And I feel more refreshed because of it.
What I Learned
Unlimited social media use is draining.
That’s not controversial anymore.
Replacing one app with another doesn’t fix the habit.
The behavior is the real thing to examine.
Offline inspiration is powerful.
Books. Films. Real environments. Conversations. They expand your creative range.
Community matters more than algorithms.
The biggest thing I missed wasn’t trends. It was connection.
What This Means for SHKR Club
This year, I’m using social media intentionally.
Not to scroll endlessly. Not to chase trends. But to foster community - online and, more importantly, in person.
Because creativity doesn’t just live on screens.
It lives in rooms. In shared experiences. In conversations that don’t disappear after 24 hours.
So if you’re feeling creatively drained, try this:
Limit your usage.
Introduce friction.
Seek inspiration in the real world.
But don’t disappear from community entirely.
Balance is the game.
And this year, that’s exactly what I’m building toward.
