The best way to avoid falling down the Instagram rabbit hole of mindless scrolling... is to set some time limits. And I'm not talking about relying on willpower alone. Instagram has made this easy with a few clicks.

Enable Instagram's Take a Break feature

Open Instagram and go to your profile. Click on the menu in the top right corner of your screen. (three horizontal lines.) Select “Activity,” and then "Time spent". Choose “Set Reminder to Take Breaks.” At this point, you can select the interval at which you’d like to be reminded to have a sweet social media break. Tap to set the reminder and click “OK” - voila you're one step closer to a more mindful experience on the platform. This setting is available to users in the U.S., UK, Australia, and Canada.

If you’re located in one of the countries listed above, and can’t find the option to set up this feature in your settings, it could be because your app requires an update. Visit the app store and determine if there is an update available. If you still can’t find Take A Break on Instagram, you can troubleshoot by deleting and re-downloading the app.

Do you want to have a more positive experience on Instagram? And learn about how to engage a community, avoid comparison and focus on your creative growth?

Fantastic! Check out my Skillshare class, "Instagram for Creatives: Cultivate a Community" through the link below.

This concise class (under 30 minutes) is filled with encouraging tips that share how you can:

• discover your unique purpose for being on Instagram

• stop comparing yourself to other creatives

• attract a more authentic community

• focus on your creative growth

AND it includes a complimentary PDF workbook to assist you with finding your measure of success on Instagram (hint: it has nothing to do with an algorithm).

While I made this class with creatives in mind, it is suitable for anyone who has felt frustrated or discouraged with their time on the platform.

I hope it helps you find a better perspective about spending time on Instagram so that you can glean all the goodies from the platform without the headaches.

If you’re not on Skillshare yet, then try it out through this link and receive 1 free month!