Have you ever wondered why you keep checking Instagram every few minutes? I’ve been grappling with this question for a while, and I decided to turn it into a project to uncover the factors driving this behaviour. Here’s how it went: I started by creating a simple template to track my Instagram usage. Each time I logged in and out, I noted the time, how long I spent, and a quick description of what I did on the platform. After doing this for two days, I had enough data to start figuring things out.
To start making sense of this data and attempting to answer the question at hand I drew a simple causailty map. When I have a heavy workload I get a nervous which leads me seeking comfort. Going on instagram is the quickest way for me to do that since I can access a variety of content that can be pleasurable and comfort me as a result.
However, the causality map had its limitations. It didn’t provide a complete picture. I found myself asking more questions: Why do I seek comfort when I have too much work? Why do I avoid work altogether and spend time on social media? It was like the map gave me one piece of the puzzle – workload leading to the need for comfort – but there was more to explore. Remembering my stats class from last quarter, I realized that correlation is not causation, and outcomes are rarely influenced by a single variable. Our world is complex, and so are the systems we navigate. To dig deeper into the factors influencing my social media use, I drew a Connection Circle, uncovering the interconnections.
While this map deepened my understanding, it didn’t answer all my questions. I still need to reflect on why I seek comfort during heavy work periods and what will motivate me to tackle tasks and lower my stress levels. The key takeaway from this exercise is that while systems thinking tools are useful for synthesizing information, the real meaning comes from questioning the data and reflecting on a deeper level. As I continue to explore my Instagram habits, one thing is clear – understanding ourselves requires more than just mapping out our behaviors. It demands ongoing reflection and a commitment to unraveling the complexities of our lives.
