Care To Share

Your social feed is more likely to be filled with raw captions and pickme-up vibes rather than filters. There are real rewards to virtually leaning on others, so learn how to ace the art of online connection

- Cassie Shortsleeve

SCREEN TIME UP FROM LAST WEEK? THAT CAN BE A GOOD THING. (SHOCKER!)

It’s okay to say it: you miss run club/girls’ night/ fill-in-your-cherished social-outing-here. And it can feel as if there’s nowhere to go, except… Online. Don’t fret! Your crew awaits. More people than ever are flocking to social media for support – celebs too. Take Lizzo, who recently led a huge Instagram meditation and got real about the fears of isolation.

With fewer in-the-flesh moments (lately, but also just in general), online networks fill a void and get around barriers like distance and time, says Dr. Mesfin Awoke Bekalu, a social sciences researcher at Harvard University. Sharing struggles, in particular, can benefit mental health and strengthen bonds, new research shows.

Ready to let it all out virtually? Read on for the active ingredients of thoughtful sharing – and truly mindful screen time.

DO

Show All Your Colours

Posting with vulnerability transforms the digi experience into something more similar to real life, says Bekalu. A heap of research points to the importance of authenticity as part of in-person interactions, so the goal is to recreate that. “Sharing moments that aren’t shiny helps us accept those parts of ourselves when we see that others do too,” says Dr. Tchiki Davis, an expert on well-being technology.

DON’T

Broadcast To Everyone