Facebook can be a wonderful tool for connecting with your friends, family, and colleagues. Being mindful and intentional in your social media use can make the difference between it being a source of stress and a wonderful tool for connection. Here are some helpful reminders:
1.
Be
purposeful in your use of social media Not everyone uses Facebook for the same reasons or in the same way. Some people use
it to share family pictures with friends and far away relatives. Others use it
as a place to network their businesses. Some use it to connect with new people
on issues that are important to them.
Remembering
that you get to choose how you will use it can be empowering. Decide how and
why you want to use it, and be at peace with it. Consider whether you’d like to
have a business page for that type of connection. Keep your personal Facebook page for non-work related
connection.
2.
Re-visit
your boundaries with social media seasonally You continue to grow and
evolve as a person, and it’s healthy to always re-evaluate your habits as well
instead of simply doing things because they are what you’ve always done.
What
makes sense during the summer might not be a good fit when the weather is
cooler, and you’re working on connecting and making holiday plans. If things
change with your work or home schedule, you might opt for more virtual
connection with friends and family.
3.
Set a
curfew for yourself The first and last few moments of the day are
so precious; why would you let the news media
decide how it should be filled? If you’ve become accustomed to
immediately checking in on Facebook
as soon as you wake up, give yourself a longer buffer for a few days, and experiment
to find what feels best for you.
If
checking Facebook and email is the
first thing you do when you get to work, consider starting a new ritual. Instead,
take a few minutes sipping a cup of coffee (or tea) at your desk before you
dive in to work.
When
it comes to setting the stage for sleep, a decent buffer between your iPhone
and going to sleep can make a huge impact on both your quality of slumber and
how long it takes to get there. Internet use at bedtime can affect your mood
and cognitive function the following day. It’s great to give and receive a
“goodnight” text, but try to do it early enough to unplug before settling down
to sleep.
“I'm kind of a social person and I enjoy corresponding
with people and checking out their Facebook pages.
And it really doesn't take much time. Ten minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at
night and a little bit during the day. It's just something I really enjoy.”
(Chris Frantz)
4.
Turn
off notifications and messenger on your phone If you know that the constant input of
everyone’s sharing becomes too much at times, take intentional breaks. If you
don’t use social media as part of your work, close that window that has Facebook in it. When you are spending time with other people,
put your phone away. Chances are, a Facebook
message is not going to be of urgent importance; it can wait.
5.
Unfriend
(or unfollow) people whose sharing is overwhelming you I know this one may be controversial, but I
believe it’s that way because of the importance we’ve allowed Facebook to have in our lives. In
offline communications, many people choose to steer clear of polarizing topics
with certain friends and family members.
Limiting
this kind of interaction on social media can be helpful for preserving
relationships. Many people share violent imagery to raise awareness about
causes that matter to them. If you know these are upsetting to you, limit these
types of posts in your newsfeed. You don’t need to see every tragedy in order
to be concerned about it.
“If I have the power to post
'Happy Birthday' on someone's Facebook page and
make them feel really good, it feels really good to make other people feel
really good. I love it. I'm a huge Facebook and Twitter person. And I love talking to my fans. It's fun.” (Rebecca Mader) [i]
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