Instagram is an important tool for online businesses. So I can completely understand the feeling that you need to be online all the time, posting, engaging, DMing, and more. Of course, consistency is important. But what if I told you that you can take a break from Instagram and everything will be okay?

I recently took a month off (gasp!) from Instagram, and you know what? It was a good thing. The world didn't stop and my business didn't spiral sideways. I'm here to tell you that not only is taking a break from Instagram okay, but I hope you'll try it!

Here's why.

Resetting My Creativity

You probably hear everywhere that you have to post constantly and consistently on Instagram to gain traction. There's truth to that, for sure. If you want your content to be seen and to attract your audience, you definitely have to show up for them.

At the same time, posting to Instagram daily is a lot of work, isn't it? It's more than planning and strategizing your posts,writing your content, and creating imagery. It's also engaging, tuning into the accounts you follow, answering DMs, and more!

Taking an occasional break from Instagram won't hurt you, though. It definitely didn't hurt me. 

Some time away from Instagram reinvigorated my passion for using it. Instead of stressing over creating my content and staying on top of it all, when I came back, I was excited to dive in.

My break from Instagram gave me space to come up with new ideas and a fresh perspective on what I want to share and how. 

Taking a Break from Instagram Was Healthy For Me

Hey, I love Instagram and social media as much as anyone. It's a game-changer for growing your online business. I could go on for days about all the ways Instagram can help you connect with your people and build brand awareness. But at the end of the day, stepping away for a bit was healthy for me.

I'm not the only one. You've probably seen as many "I'm taking an Instagram break" posts or Stories as I have, and it's because sometimes, we all need one. It might sound crazy, but there have been studies done on the power of a social media cleanse. Turns out, there are real benefits, like improved mental health and well-being. Who doesn't need some of that in their life?

When I took a month-long break from Instagram, I noticed a few changes in my life. The time I'd usually take to post things and answer DMs was spent doing things that are good for my soul, like being with my kids and yoga.

Without scrolling Instagram during my free moments during the day, I honestly felt a bit more present in my life. I was much more likely to set down the phone and take a breath, or even to tackle little projects I'd been pushing off here and there (junk drawer no more!)

Even though using Instagram for business is a passion of mine, I realized that as with anything you spend a lot of time on in your life, not having it on my plate gave me mental room to relax more and stress less.

My Work So Far Served Me Well

Y'all, I've been on Instagram for a long time. It's an essential element in my marketing strategy, so you better believe I put a lot of work into making it successful! And when I took my break from Instagram, all my efforts so far helped keep me from losing traction.

Even though I took weeks off from posting new content, my account was still bringing in new leads and business. I may not have been actively adding to my feed, Stories, or Reels, but my profile got plenty of attention. I'm talking to new followers, regularly, and plenty of DMs from my niche.

I've made sure that, along the way, I've created appealing visuals, catchy captions, and strategic hashtags that get me in front of exactly who I want to be seen by. 

That all didn't go to waste during my break. Instead, because my existing content did its job. It showed up in searches, caught people's eyes, and drew them in to engage with what I have to offer.

Would I quit posting altogether and still expect my Instagram account to be effective? No way! But taking one month off was good for me, and my prior consistency paid off.

Taking a Break Didn't Kill My Website Traffic

Instagram is amazing at bringing members of my ideal audience back to my website so they can learn about my services, courses, products, and check out my blog posts. But without it, my website traffic didn't suffer too much.

Blogging is a passion of mine and, beyond sharing my best advice and resources, SEO plays a big part in it. And my SEO did its job! During my break from Instagram, I still saw new visitors coming to my website through organic searches online. (A special "hi" to anyone who found this post that way!)

Pinterest also played a big role in keeping blog readers and site visitors rolling in. I've made Pinterest part of my marketing strategy in parallel with Instagram, and let me tell you, it's such a valuable tool. 

We tend to think of Pinterest as a social media platform, but really, it's a search engine. And if you learn how to make it work for your business, it can really make an impact on your website traffic!

Want the same Instagram strategy I used to build a successful account? With the longevity to withstand the occasional break you need? My Instagram Caption Prompts will give you the daily inspiration to build a thriving account that supports your business. Grab these prompts and never worry about what to post on Instagram again!