How to Protect Your Peace on Social Media

The internet can be a great place; it can help you stay connected with family and friends and often resources on social media can introduce you to products, services, people, and places you need in your life. Unfortunately, the internet can also be a place of toxicity and harm. Whether it’s fear of missing out or simply negativity in the comments, being online can lead some to spiral into stress and depression. If you’re seeking information on how to protect your peace on social media, you’ve come to the right place.

Protect Your Peace on Social Media to Ensure Health and Wellness

Based on a study from the Pew Research Center, approximately 70% of adults and 80% of teens in the United States use social media, According to an article on the Mclean Hospital website, this puts a large amount of the population at an increased risk of feeling anxious, depressed, or ill over their social media use.”

It’s true, extended internet use has been linked to anxiety and depression. Because of this, it is now more important than ever that you protect your peace on social media. Here are several ways to stay connected without letting social media consume your every waking hour.

Implement Boundaries to Protect Your Peace on Social Media

If you found yourself doomscrolling TikTok this past fall, keeping up with current events, you may have already recognized that in order to protect your peace on social media, you need to set up boundaries. Whether you’re trying to keep up with your favorite creators or you have FOMO over the latest Verzuz Battle, it can be difficult to stay away from social media.

Sometimes you can even feel boxed in when family and friends follow you online. This is why it’s important to set boundaries around who you let into your online space and also how much time you spend online. For example, if you’re on Facebook and post something that you’d prefer was only seen by a few people, set boundaries by making the post visible only to a select few.

Easy ways to implement boundaries around your social media use

Protect your peace on social media by implementing boundaries and ensuring that you are using your time wisely when you are online. There are several resources that can help you keep track of your time and lead you in the right direction if you have trouble setting boundaries for yourself. A few of those resources include:

• Learn how to use privacy settings across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
• If you use social media for business, invest in a social media management app like Hootsuite
• Install an app that temporarily blocks social media to boost your productivity

Be Intentional About Who You Follow Online

Social media can be a wonderful place where you’re able to learn, explore and be part of communities around your interests, industry, and hobbies. While this can be helpful, there are times when who you follow online becomes toxic. If you find yourself following creators who are consistently posting about how amazing their lives are, their fabulous luxury trips, and their booming business and following them makes you feel bad about yourself and where you are in life, then you need to take a step back. If following someone who is thriving, doing well, and posting it on social media, however, inspires you and encourages you to work harder toward your goal, then stick with them.

It’s truly up to you how you react and it’s also up to you to know that if someone’s content brings you down because it feels unattainable, then it is ok and actually healthy to unfollow them. Be intentional about who you follow on social media. Find encouraging people to follow; mentors, business owners, friends, and others you look up to. Seek out people who lift you up whether through their actions or how they interact online. You’re in control of that unfollow button, use it if you feel the need.

If You Want to Protect Your Peace on Social Media You Need to Know When to Walk Away

No matter how careful you are and how well you protect your peace on social media, there will inevitably come a time when you just need to walk away. That could mean stepping away for a few weeks on a social media hiatus. It could be removing a specific platform from your phone. It could even mean removing certain creators or family members online. Whatever the case and whatever the reason, it’s important to realize that this is ok. There should never be any guilt associated with taking a step back.

At the end of the day, you are the only one who is responsible for your happiness. Your emotional well-being are key, because when it comes down to it, much of social media just isn’t real. Everyone online is usually putting their best foot forward so half the time, you’re being fed half-truths and exaggerations.

The saying, ‘don’t compare your behind the scenes to someone else’s highlight reel,’ rings true on social media. The aforementioned McLean Hospital article goes on to explain, “to boost self-esteem and feel a sense of belonging in their social circles, people post content with the hope of receiving positive feedback. Couple that content with the structure of potential future reward, and you get a recipe for constantly checking platforms.”

Knowing how to protect your peace on social media will have far-reaching benefits. This is especially if you need to use social media to run your business. There is a fine line between business and personal when you use the internet for both work and play. Having boundaries, being intentional with your time, and taking regular breaks is the key to both success and wellness.