Social media has got the young, old, male, female, western, eastern, northern, southern, arctic persons unanimously checking for the latest posts, unanswered texts and the many videos that bounce from one device to another. However, universal a phenomenon as it maybe, social media does have an anti-social element. You can avoid this element by
- Thinking Things Through
Take time to think and reflect about what you have just garnered. In fact, make it a point to think about what you read on line instead of accepting everything as truth. Thinking about things and considering a variety of factors will help you decide whether they are worth passing on or not worth any one’s time and therefore are better of just being deleted.
Before pressing send and perpetuating a lie or feeding a half -truth think things through carefully.
- Expanding your worldview.
As you already know there are different ways of viewing the world but you can try to expand your view by stepping outside of your religious, political, and cultural beliefs. Try to understand and look further into positions and ideas you would normally dismiss. Meet with and get to know people who are very different from you. Find people who have a different background or idea than yours to help you understand ideas different than those you are familiar with.
Having a broader outlook will help you better evaluate information and the many different ideas out there.
- Taking Your On-line Confidence Off-line
The confident you on line perhaps will not be so confident away from your media handle but, you can channel that confident online you when you are in a queue or are at a gathering and do not know the person beside you or in front of you. Just put that mobile device away and be the first to strike up a conversation with the other person. Introduce yourself or make a general comment about the place you are in. Start a conversation and be the first to communicate whether at a gathering, on the bus, or at the office.
Take advantage of the confident online you and communicate with others without using your device.
- Filling Your Waiting Time with a Non Media Activity
If you’ve got a few extra minutes waiting for someone or something to get done don’t grab your phone immediately. Leave it alone and let your eyes and head have a break from the screen. Do not search, scroll, message, comment or poke but instead look up and take a look around the room you are in. Walk to the window, if possible and look out. Take a look at the trees or the people walking by and imagine what their names could be, where they are going and if you would remember them if you saw them again? Fill your time with a non-media activity the best way you can for those few minutes you have.
Every so often extricate yourself from the web and come up for air, so to speak.
