I was having lunch with an old friend recently and I mentioned to her that I hadn’t seen her active on social media in several months.
“I gave it up and haven’t looked back,” she said, somewhat facetiously. “I realized I was spending way too much time on it and that it often left me feeling more unsettled than when I logged on. Between the political rants and people posting about their ‘perfect’ families, I decided it was time for me to get my social engagement in the real world, not online.”
Turns out, she was on to something. A study reported in the Harvard Business Review concluded that “while real-world social networks were positively associated with overall well-being, the use of Facebook was negatively associated with overall well-being.”
If you (like me) continue to maintain your social media presence, do so wisely. Limit the time you spend on it, check the veracity of the information you get from it, and be attune to its impact on your overall wellness. Meditation is a great way to tune out the noise and allow ourselves to focus on that which brings us true peace of mind.