Arguing online? You have better things to do

Discussion can be stimulating. A little banter and cordial debate can be fun. But when everyone hides behind screens, it’s easy to get stuck on “winning” a discussion and for everything to quickly spiral into undisguised nastiness. It can be difficult to tear yourself away from the back-and-forth that can waste hours of your time and crater your mood before you know it.

The obvious solution: Just don’t do it. But that’s easier said than done in a social media ecosystem that pulls us in and doesn’t let go. Here are a few tips to help you put down the phone and reclaim your time (and sanity).

• Don’t post something controversial in a public space (like social media) if you don’t want to argue about it.
• If you still want to share, don’t start or participate in arguments. Interact with people you actually know and stick to your honest thoughts and feelings without attacking others.
• If someone responds in a way that invites argument, don’t engage — just hide or delete the comment, if possible.
• Turn off notifications. If you don’t see when someone comments, you’re unlikely to get sucked into an argument.
• Consider what you add or receive from the discussion. Does arguing change or solve anything? Are you really getting anything out of this?
• Deactive or limit your account. You might miss it at first, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly that feeling passes.