Just about everyone knows the importance of social media these days, but could it actually be damaging to you? That is, could it cause more problems than it purports to help? You see, browsing Facebook might seem like fun at first, but looking at all those profiles of your friends could actually make you envious of other people’s lives. It can breed resentment. It can make you feel inadequate. These aren’t healthy feelings.
If your social network is large, it can be overwhelming. You may feel obligated to keep up with everyone’s statuses and photos and that can be a lot of information to take in every day. The more followers you have, the more complicated it gets.
You also run the risk of over sharing. If you post something online, it’s public. Whether you put it on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr, it doesn’t matter. What does is that you shared that information and people are going to find it. If you don’t want your boss knowing something about you, don’t put it online–plain and simple.
Likewise, you run the risk of annoying people if you share too much information. Detailed information about your relationships or life drama can be unattractive and annoying for people to keep up with. You need to be especially careful when you’re angry. If you’re angry, you’re likely to post something you don’t mean and that’s dangerous. You could start drama and not really mean to.
Posting photos to your social network is a great way to share your life with those you love and care about. However, posting pictures of you getting drunk at a party could be a real turn off for a future employer and could even cost you a job. If you wouldn’t want your mom to see the photo, don’t put it online.
Many studies show that having a broader social network can actually increase the stress in your life. There may even be links to large networks and social anxiety, if you can believe it. For your own sanity, you may find it a better choice to keep your social media following list small. Include close friends and family, colleagues and acquaintances. There’s no need to follow everyone ever. Make lists of your followers as well and assign who gets to see what. This may save you the stress of having to explain your posts to people later on.
If you’re even asking this question, it’s likely that you already have an inking regarding the answer: yes. Absolutely, yes. In fact, engaging in social media is so important for your brand nowadays that you could seriously miss out on jobs and opportunities if you don’t engage.
