It’s 2019, the era of social media. Everybody is on different social media platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, etc… even the kids have accounts on social media, actually multiple accounts (I don’t know why but they do). If I try hard enough I might find a man without a moniker but I doubt if I would ever find someone who’s not on any of these social media channels. And I sense this craze would go on for a long, long time. Hence the need for us to know a few rules of social media etiquette. For our better mental health and a better society. We owe it to ourselves.

So, let’s find out!

Social Media Etiquette 2019

Any place where there are multitudes of people present, there’s a need to follow proper etiquette. Otherwise, it would be nothing but total chaos. Ergo, we need social media etiquette just as much as anything. So, from my slant, I’ve figured we all need to follow the below 5 rules of social media etiquette for better mood and day.

1. Spread Love, Not Hatred

Just because we have the freedom of speech, we are not supposed to say anything that comes to our mind. We must consider that there is an actual person sitting on the other side of the screen and if you are spitting fire of hatred, it’s going to hurt them just as it would us if we had been in their place. You like the picture/update? Good, comment something nice if you want or scroll down. And if you didn’t like their update, move on. We don’t have to spare five minutes from our time and send a lengthy hate comment. It’s just that easy.

I’ve seen many people follow someone just to make fun of them or bully and say all mean things. Why would they have to offer a part of their day to someone they don’t even like. Say something nice, if you can’t do that, don’t do anything at all. That would be for all our good.

2. Set time to be online

The next one on my list of social media etiquette, time. Too much indulgence in social media would spoil your mood unnoticeably. Until you notice the extent of damage it has made, it would be too late. So, every day, set time to go online and see what your friends are up to. Then get back to reality. Ever wanted to know how life without social media would be? In fact, social media is one of the causes of social anxiety. Why wouldn’t it be? We have become excessively comfortable behind the screen that we’ve lost touch with real scenarios.

Social media is meant to strengthen our real relationships but ironically, it’s worsening the reality and making us dwell on virtual relations. Don’t you think?

3. Mind the purpose of your update

Unless you are a professional that needs social media, don’t mind updating every day. If I may say so, even professionals need to take some time off social networks. That’s good. Even when you are posting an update, see if you actually have a purpose to it. It can be for fun too. An update with a purpose weighs more than a post out of boredom. So, over-sharing must be avoided for the best.

4. Don’t overly concern yourself with others’ lives

However much you refuse to admit, when we pry too much into others’ lives we turn green with envy when we have a happy update from them. We feel uncomfortable, a moment later we start comparing our lives with ’em. This is all nonsense. Because deep down, we all know that we are doing fine and everybody has their light and dark sides to their lives. So, when you realize you are obsessing over someone online, try to stay out of their lives. I mean, DON’T STALK.

LOL!

5. Don’t post when you’re angry/sad

We all know someone who posts an update early in the morning saying, ‘I’m not born to impress you.’ Can you relate? I know, they must be going through a hard phase but posting such a quote wouldn’t make any difference. In fact, it would worsen your mood. Half of the people on your friends’ list wouldn’t even bother, and most find it annoying. They judge you based on your behavior online. Honestly, I don’t even understand why people do that. So, you want to get over your bad mood? Come on, pick up your phone, call your best friend and share what you are dealing with. That’s the correct way of setting things straight again.

This gets me to the end of this topic and I hope you agree to what I said, the social media etiquette we all require to follow. So people, let’s take a step back from this social media frenzy and make some real connections.

Adios!

Lots of LOVE,

Nikki.

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