How to put social media boundaries in place

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While social media can be a place to bring people together and share ideas and dreams, it can also lead us down a darker path and take over life.

There might be a sense of community online, but the combination of overuse and the constant need for attention and validation can be detrimental to mental wellness and distracting when it comes to productivity.

We have some top tips around how you can set up your boundaries, so you keep safe online and take what you need from social media and keep the rest away.

Set time limits
Have a think about how long you are spending on social media at the moment each day and then consider what a reasonable amount of time might be.

Two hours?
An hour?
Thirty minutes?

This is for you to decide and we are all going to be different, but what is key here is that once you choose a time limit, stick to it. Keep an eye on your watch, and look at what else you are able to do that brings you back into the real world. Facebook will still be there when you go back and that Twitter DM can wait.

Kick toxicity to the curb
If you are reading posts from a person who is always negative or are in a group that is toxic, get away. We don’t need that in our lives be that in person or online, so go through your feeds, work out what and who aren’t doing you any favours and walk away. No need for this to be a drama, just let things slip away and feel good vibes come back.

Be positive
It’s an oldie but a goodie but “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” is relevant when it comes to social media. Even if you’re speaking out against something, this can be done in a positive way if you offer alternative ideas and solutions rather than just throwing open a bag full of criticism. “I have another” can prevent discussions from becoming nasty and let you pass on your thoughts in a constructive way. Or, just move on and keep your thoughts to yourself rather than plastering it across IG for all to see.

Don’t give it all away
You might be having a bad day, you could’ve won the lottery, and your boss might have annoyed you, but you don’t have to put everything out there online. Yes, be part of the conversation but given that we don’t share everything in real life, you don’t want to let strangers know what’s up every second of the day.

Unplug
Checking social media can be a really bad habit, and an addictive one, but you do have a choice to decide when and how often you use it (see point one). Make one afternoon a week, or one day at the weekend a social media free zone and let your mind wander onto other things. Get outside, meet real friends, watch a movie or go to the beach and let the online world go on without you.

Team Pure Beauty

How to be social media savvy

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amazing homes, annoying requests, block, blushes, bombarding, Boss, brownie points, Christmas party, communication, complete stranger, diet plans, erfect feeds, face, Facebook, feelings, gossip, happiness, hilarious, hotbed, hype, Instagram, intimate details, job interview, Keep it real, keyboard warrior, love, making connections, medic, medical advice, news, nitty gritty, online, personal details, popular, potential problems, prevent, rashes, real life, requests, safe, scratches, sick, social media networks, spammed, stranger, stunning holidays, substitute, tag, trolled, twitter, unfriend, well-meaning words

Whether you love Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or one of the other popular social media networks, making connections and keeping in touch with family and friends has never been easier, or cheaper. However, this instant means of communication can also lead to a hotbed of potential problems, so we’ve had a look at how you can prevent mishaps and keep safe and happy online.

Watch the door
There is no way you would let a complete stranger into your home, and the social media world should be no different. Accepting requests to connect with someone you don’t know can be dangerous and you really want to avoid it. It can allow people to spy on you, fraudsters can find your personal details, you can be spammed and trolled, and those people can send annoying requests to your friends too. If you don’t know someone in real life, don’t let them be a part of your social media existence either.

Tag with care
Yes, the Christmas party was fun, but Bob from IT might not want ‘that picture’ plastered across Facebook for HR to see on Monday, so just stop and think before you post photos of other people and tag them. You might think something is hilarious, but if you don’t want to lose a friend or your job stop and consider the consequences before pressing send.

Keep it real
You know the people we are talking about – the ones with the perfect feeds, amazing homes, stunning holidays and a new outfit everyday – this isn’t real, so don’t believe the hype or let it get you down. Generally, people only post what they want you to know, so take things with a pinch of salt and just go your own way.

Don’t overshare
The intimate details of your personal life are yours, so don’t share them with Twitter, because it could lead to a lot of blushes. Yes, you might hate your boss and your new boyfriend might be amazing, but the whole world doesn’t need to know every single detail. Keep social media light and fun and when things don’t go to plan, don’t blast your feed with the gossip about that either.

Is it yours to share?
Posting about your flatmate’s job interview, revealing an upcoming project at work, or talking about your sister’s engagement before she does, won’t get you any brownie points. Think before you post and if it’s someone else’s news, they have the right to tell others on their feed, before you share it on yours.

Social media isn’t a medic
Social media is a great thing, but it’s not a substitute for real medical advice. If you have a health problem, speak to your GP before sharing the nitty gritty of a tummy bug online, and never think that the well-meaning words of a friend are a given when it comes to being sick. Speak to someone in the know and keep photos of scratches and rashes to yourself.

Don’t be pushy
We all need to make a living but bombarding family and friends with requests to buy your skin care products or diet plans isn’t going to make you very popular. Yes, set up a page and let them know what you are doing, but if you push it at them all the time, you might find they start to unfriend, or even block you and that’s not what you want.

Don’t be a keyboard warrior
At the end of the day, we all have feelings, so if you say something to someone online, make sure you would also say it to their face. Don’t make social media a breeding ground for hate, instead spread happiness and love and make the world a better place.

Team Pure Beauty

Are screens taking over your life?

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Barbados, bedroom, companies, Computer screen, dates, depressed, desk, event, eye-sight, Facebook, feet on the floor, friends, girsl, hips, HR, IT, jog, neck, online, park, partner, photos, shoulder and back pain, social media, stretch, twitter, waistline, weight gain, workstation

We all know that it is important to limit screen time for kids, but how about adults?

An increasing number of us are using screens for business and pleasure and at times it can feel as if they are taking over our lives and health.

It sounds silly, and even a bit nanny state, but it is important that you develop a healthy attitude towards using screens, big and small, so we have looked at some of the issues and how to get around then.

Spending too much time posting on Facebook and tweeting on Twitter means you could be adding inches to your waistline as you build your friends online. Sitting on the sofa is comfy, and warm as the nights draw in, but it can also lead to weight gain, which in turn can increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease. If you are going to use your phone for something, upload an exercise app, get on your trainers and jog around the park and smile at your increased in activity rather rather your increased number of ‘friends’.

Believing the hype of social media could make you feel depressed. It is really easy to look online and see other people on holiday, looking tanned, with their ‘amazing’ husband, but remember this is only what they want you to see. Real life isn’t just what is posted online so don’t get blue if you aren’t in Barbados and are single – the grass isn’t always greener.

You might also want to remember that from time to time it is good to get out and talk to people face to face. Social media certainly brings people together and can be a great way to keep in touch, but nothing beats real life interaction. Set dates with your partner, lunch with your family and nights out with the girls. You can post photos after the event, but going out will do you the world of good and bring you back to reality.

Spending too much time looking at a screen will increase the blue wavelengths your brain receives and this can really affect your natural circadian rhythms and mess around with your melatonin levels. The consequences of this is that your mood can be disrupted as can your sleep, neither of which will do you any favours. Try to turn screens off at least an hour before you go to bed, longer if you can and this way you can really switch off. Don’t keep screens in your bedroom and instead of using your phone as an alarm, go back to basics and get a clock.

There is no getting away from the fact that many jobs involve spending a lot of time at a computer screen, but this doesn’t have to lead to aches and pains. The main thing is to set up your workstation correctly, and many companies have an HR or IT department that do this for you, so check if yours does. Ensure your screen is big enough and is set at the right level. You need to have a good chair that offers support and as you work make sure your hips are square and your your feet are flat on the floor. It is vital to take regular breaks from your computer as this will not only to rest your eyes, but gives you time to stretch your legs and reduce the risk of neck, shoulder and back pain.

Remember your mum saying you would get square eyes if you sat too close to the telly? You might have laughed at her but it is possible she could see into the future and was right. Look after your eyes and make sure you have them tested on a regular basis. If you start to suffer with headaches or blurred vision, this could indicate you are using your screen too much and can be a sign of possible issues with your eye-sight.

Go screen free at some point in the week – that doesn’t mean when you are asleep. We aren’t talking about a complete detox but maybe turn your phone off at work, don’t use social media on a Sunday and certainly don’t be flicking across social media when you are in the company of others.

Have a think about this and we think there are a couple of easy to make changes that could have a big impact.