From Procrastination to Action: Why Deleting Instagram Freed My Time and Mind
As of November 15, 2025, 3:36 p.m. – It’s cold, dark, and uncomfortable.The perfect time to move from thinking to acting.A columnist shares her journey from procrastination to productivity, detailing what helped her break free and why it was so difficult.
It’s a feeling many of us know well: the weight of unfulfilled intentions, the endless scroll replacing meaningful action. This year, I found myself grappling with this very struggle, realizing that the courage to live authentically, as palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware observed is often a regret on one’s deathbed, requires a simple, yet challenging first step. “To achieve something, you have to do something,” I recently reminded myself. Take a step, carry out an action, dare. As Nike famously proclaims, “Just do it.” But why is it so damn difficult?
The Goal: Procrastinate Less
Earlier this year,I explored “The five things we should change in 2025” in my column,and the first point resonated deeply: ‘to live your own life courageously.’ Yet, translating that aspiration into reality proved elusive. I repeatedly promised myself – and my readers – that I would prioritize activities that nourish me (walks, genuine connections, tackling long-delayed projects) over the endless pull of my cell phone. Unluckily, those promises often fell flat. Evenings were too easily consumed by posting on Instagram Stories, scrolling through countless videos, and ultimately feeling empty and dissatisfied.
Then, a few days ago, months of pent-up frustration reached a breaking point, leading me to do something drastic, something completely unexpected: I deleted my Instagram account after ten years of use. Complete and forever.
I briefly considered a replacement. I even downloaded TikTok and Facebook onto my phone. But no, I wasn’t crazy.I had already deleted Facebook back in 2018, and before succumbing to the endless stream of videos – TikTok, TikTok – I’d rather feel the Baltic Sea wind on my face.It sorts my thoughts more honestly than any Chinese algorithm and at least brings some fresh air into my brain.
The Result: Time
Deleting Instagram felt like ripping off a Band-Aid. And in the ten days as, I’ve experienced a surprising sense of euphoria. My thought: If I can do that, then I can do so much more! And, crucially, I suddenly have time again.
Reflecting on this newfound freedom, I realized how many things I’d been wanting to do for ages. Haven’t I wanted to continue writing my draft novel for a long time? And complete that training course? Send that reportage pitch? All the good things,it suddenly occurs to me,have only ever come from the fact that I had the courage to overcome the inertia,to overcome the fears,to overcome the passivity.
The solution: Do It Instead of Putting It Off
It’s captivating to simply tackle things that you’ve been putting off forever. Whether it’s the light bulb on the stove that you finally need to change – or the long overdue separation. Getting out of passivity and into “doing” means feeling pure self-efficacy – and that’s addictive, in the best of all senses. So my new motto: do it rather of chattering. Or as Erich Kästner said: “There is nothing good unless you do it!”
As a millennial navigating the complexities of modern life – somewhere between boomer values and Gen Z visions – I often find myself reflecting on the confusion of our everyday routines. Sometimes serious, sometimes cheerful, and sometimes ironic, thes moments shape our experiences.And sometimes, the most impactful change comes from simply disconnecting to reconnect with what truly matters.
the so-called arrival fallacy, as I’ve written about before, drives us through life like a carrot drives a donkey. Disappointment is unavoidable. but taking action, even small steps, is a powerful antidote to that sense of futility. New year, new luck? We are primarily responsible for this – thank God.
