This Tip Will Make Your Social Media Activity More Mindful

What do the internet and the phrase ‘too much information’ have in common? Everything. The biggest cause of anti-social behaviour online? A lack of boundaries.

According to a peer-reviewed study carried out by Princeton and Freie Universität researchers, we spend approximately 30% of face-to-face conversations talking about ourselves, whereas this number jumps to 80% online.

The lack of social cues like apoplectic faces, lobotomised stares and raised eyebrows makes it easier for us to go rogue with a narcissistic monologue or way-too-personal information.

Nothing warrants an ‘unfollow’ more than conspicuous oversharing. In the interests of proper selfie etiquette, it’s therefore advisable to find your filter – not those on your social media apps but rather the one on your pesky trigger finger. Give yourself a privacy calorie count – a daily posting cap to keep you from overindulging. Make like porridge and operate a slow-release policy. A selfie fest only puts others in a carb coma.

If in doubt, remember: behave the same online as you would offline. In other words, don’t dominate the virtual airspace with a one-sided conversation. And put the skids on self-disclosure while you’re at it. Ask yourself ‘why’ before you go TMI.