Selena Gomez Calls Getting Off Instagram 'Most Rewarding Gift,' Stresses Importance of Social Media Breaks

During a recent appearance at the 2024 TIME 100 Summit, the Only Murders in the Building star said taking a break from Instagram was one of the best things she's ever done, particularly where her mental health is concerned.

"I took four years off of Instagram and I let my team post for me," the singer-actress shared. "I felt like it was the most rewarding gift I gave myself. I was more present. I was happier."

During her four-year hiatus, which began in 2018, Selena helped curate her Instagram content but left all the posting up to her assistants -- she didn't even have access to the password for her account.

Instead of scrolling and commenting on posts, the Wondermind co-founder, began connecting with friends over the phone.

"It's more human," she explained of the decision. "I think it's important to take breaks."

This isn't the first time Gomez, who has taken several Instagram "breaks" over the years, has spoken about her relationship with social media.

Her most recent break came in January, with the "Love On" singer kicking off 2024 with one of her shortest social media hiatuses yet.

It all went down after the Golden Globes, when Selena made headlines for a private conversation she had with Taylor Swift and her friend Keleigh Teller. In footage of the conversation, social media users believed Selena was telling Taylor and Keleigh that she had tried to take a photo with Timothée Chalamet but his girlfriend Kylie Jenner wouldn't allow it.

The drama proved to be too much for Gomez, who took to her Instagram Story to share that she was taking another break. "I'm off social for a while. I'm focusing on what really matters," she captioned a video of her boyfriend, Benny Blanco, playing with two young children.

Shortly after announcing her break, Selena made a return to social media to explain the situation.

"Noooooo I told Taylor about two of my friends who hooked up. Not that that's anyone business," Gomez wrote in the comments of an Instagram post by E! News.

While she's not super active on the app, Gomez has been giving fans glimpses at her relationship with Blanco and has posted some of her new music online, as she works to control more and more of what she shares on social media. Despite shifts behind the scenes, Gomez remains the most-followed woman on the platform with 429 million followers.

See more from Gomez in the gallery below.