It goes without saying that social media platforms are here to stay.
As such, it is important that we learn to interact with them in healthy and smart ways. Doing so is beneficial to us and the ways we work. In today’s blurb, we take a closer look at how we can best lay a solid foundation to help us do that.
Understanding the Basics
Develop A Perspective On How You Will Use Them
Social media platforms are tools. They are meant to serve us. Not the other way around. More often than not, these platforms serve as highlight reels. They help to showcase the work we do in the world. Also, they help connect us with others.
It is important to remain grounded in your non-digital life as you connect with others on social media with others. Be clear and specific about why you are on social media and how you want to use these platforms. This will go a long way in helping you do that.
Knowing How They Work
It is true that there are features built into social media platforms to make their usage more attractive and even addictive. It is also true, that algorithms don’t create patterns. They simply repeat them. Therefore, if you want to change your relationship with social media, the thing to manage is your own behaviour and habits. You do this by changing your perspective on how to maximise the benefits of each platform. By changing your perspective on how to maximise the benefits of each platform, you will change your behaviours/habits and your experience of them.
Importantly, algorithms don’t create patterns they simply perpetuate them. As such, algorithms will look at your patterns of behaviour and give you more of what it thinks you will like based on previous patterns across websites and platforms.
Getting Started in the Right Direction
Before you jump headfirst into any social media platform, it would serve you well to use the above two tips to reframe the lens you view social media usage through. Seeing things differently over time will help you shift your perspective, and consequently your behaviour and how you interact with social media. Rethink things today!
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