Do you overshare information? Here's how you can stop
From sharing every detail of your life on social media to communicating beyond what's required during an interaction, most of us have those episodes of TMI (too much information) where we wonder if we have overshared. And if you are someone who has them often, you may want to try these tips to avoid sharing or posting online more than you should.
Identify the triggers that get you to overshare
Oversharing mostly happens due to a trigger that most of us are unaware of. Some people overshare to kill the awkward silence during an interaction, while others form a false sense of closeness in their minds while talking to someone. Social anxiety or the pressure to break the ice can also lead to it and so can the need to seek validation.
Practice slow talking
When you practice slow talking and pause right before asking a question or answering one, you get a small window to realize if what you are about to communicate is relevant for the other party to know. So if someone asks you something, you may say "That's a great question! Let me think for a while and answer," instead of jumping right into it.
Keep your personal information offline
Refrain from sharing things like full name, birth date, current employer, family members' names, and your residential address on social media. Identity thieves may use this information to answer security questions to access you. With that said, never share pictures of your ID cards, boarding pass, travel documents, bank details, and other private or confidential information sources online.
Think before sharing photographs
In the age of social media, sharing good news through photos is common. However, do a thorough 'background' check (quite literally) and spot that they don't feature your credit cards/debit cards, house number, name of your workplace, screenshots of your email, e-commerce orders, bills, etc. In short, prevent identity theft by refraining from providing any leverage to potential thieves through your photos.
Wait before you click on the 'send' button
From children to adults, everyone enjoys texting. And so to avoid oversharing on messenger apps or emails, it is best to read what you have written before you click on the send button. Besides helping you eliminate superfluous information, it can also help you proofread your draft message to fix any typos and restructure your sentences for clear and crisp communication.
