In an effort of goodwill, you have accepted friend requests from people you don’t know very well, and endured posts that you would prefer to overlook. You now have a group of friends you have outgrown and who have taken over your feed.
Instead of spending one more minute hiding their posts, take advantage of November 17, National Unfriend Day, to sift through your friends list and quietly trim it down.
Here are a few good reasons to consider Unfriending:
Your Facebook relationship is one-sided.
You have been hitting the “like” button and commenting on someone’s posts for years, yet they never comment back or reciprocate. For all you know, they may have blocked you or hidden your updates altogether. Don’t think twice … say Goodbye.
New parents.
We love your baby, but please think before you post. Not only is it dangerous to publish seemingly innocent bath time pictures of your child on the internet, but it’s also a little overwhelming to receive multiple posts per hour of your blinking, burping and giggling baby. The difference between sharing and oversharing is often just a few extra clicks. Adios.
Angry ranters.
Posting politically-charged tangents or otherwise aggressive opinions with no regard or respect for opposing views is inconsiderate and in poor taste. You have no obligation to endure their wrath. Ciao.
Pressure salespersons.
It’s a guilt-free pleasure to unfriend so-called “friends” who are always trying to convince you to buy into their latest pyramid scheme. When you don’t, they harass you or call you out publicly for not supporting or sharing their product information. Take care of this dilemma today. Auf Wiedersehen.
Old flames and mutual friends.
Of course, you may unfriend the usual culprits such as ex-boyfriends or girlfriends, people who are on a reconnaissance mission to carry tales to your ex, and those with whom you no longer wish to maintain a connection. When someone you know posts irresponsibly, it inadvertently makes you guilty by association, especially when they tag you. Professionally, it’s not in your best interest to align yourself with questionable or vulgar posts. Even those closest to you, for example, a friend who displayed poor judgment by wearing a wildly inappropriate costume to a holiday party, and donning a name tag that read “Locked and Loaded.” True story! Aloha.
Lost connections.
Use this opportunity to evaluate your friends list and eliminate contacts that you don’t recognize or who are no longer a part of your inner circle. If you haven’t heard from them since last November’s Unfriend Day, there’s a good chance their feelings won’t be hurt when you pull the plug. They may be unfriending you at this very moment as well. Adieu.
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram