I have been thinking about this for a long time. The only reason I need my phone is to call my family and friends, but instead, it has turned into a device that is used for much more. I can Google, Snapchat, Instagram, tweet, read, game, and even transfer money from my bank. With this being said I feel like I look at my phone way too much.

Instagram is my worst addiction. Anytime I unlock my phone I automatically open Instagram and start to scroll to see what people are up too. By the sixth scroll I am already looking at the same photos I saw 10 minutes ago. It is bad how often I look at social media, it is distracting and taking me away from what is right in front of me.

I "rarely" post a picture on Instagram. The time it takes to actually stand and take a photo is such a nuisance and also is the number one reason why I don't post a lot. But the one thing I hate the most is when I look at who likes my photos. It's that extra step that doesn't actually matter, but I feel the need to look anyway. I am astonished at people who post every day because in my book that means you're doing something new and exciting EVERY DAY. How is that possible? Am I that much busier than other people? Why does it matter if people post every day? These are the questions I ask.

If I posted every day you would see a computer screen at the office I work at for five days. Then a picture of a lake, ocean or my friends for the other two weekend days. I would rather only post two days rather than seven. But back to the point.

I want to delete my social media because in retrospect it is so pointless. All of that doesn't matter. What actually matters is what's in front of me. I have gotten to the point where I am tired of revolving my life around social media.

But here is why I won't delete it.

I keep social media around for the sole reason that it helps me connect with people. I am able to interact with people I don't see every day. It is an imperfect platform with a great purpose. I believe the purpose of it all is to bring friends and acquaintances together. I have talked to so many people and they ask me if I have Instagram. Or think about the many times you have asked for someone's snap chat instead of their number.

We have to face it. Social media is a part of our everyday life. I would feel out of touch with everything if I didn't have it. Therefore the biggest struggle of all is being disciplined and knowing when to step away.

Takeaway: limit your time on social media because it can easily change from a hobby to a lifestyle. The moment you find yourself checking it repeatedly, take a look at your actions and see what you can change. Stop watching people do what you can do yourself!