Don’t Drink and Post

A drink or two might be all it takes to loosen up, but one too many might lead to you sharing more than you mean to. With social media right at your fingertips, things can get dicey.

Make Social Media a Friend, Not an Enemy

Social media is a great way to share your life and keep in touch with friends and family. But like it or not, the world sees your online presence as a reflection of you. After a few drinks, things can get fuzzy – including what you decide to post on your feed. Make sure to show your best self by not drinking and posting.

Take a beat to think about how you can protect yourself and your career from the messy mix of alcohol and social media. These three tips can help!

1. Be wise about what you choose – or choose not to – share. You might not remember that story you posted to Instagram or Snapchat, but once it’s out there and your friends, family and leaders have seen it, there’s no way to take it back. Ask yourself – do you really want to post a story of you acting sloppy or blurting out something a buddy told you in confidence?
2. Show leadership the best you. You know what your leaders expect from you and how hard you work for your reputation as a reliable member of the team. Don’t blow it with one careless Insta story that violates OPSEC. Show them you understand the mission and how far you’d go to protect it.
3. Maintain the respect of the people you care about. Whether it’s a younger sibling, a subordinate or a close friend, there are people who look up to you. If these relationships are important to you, make sure not to lose their respect due to an alcohol-related incident on a night out, and all it takes is one. No one wants to see your drunk nonsense, especially those who look to you as a role model.

Before you leave for a night out, think about how your actions might look when posted on social media. You can make sure there’s nothing for you to regret the next morning by knowing your limits and owning them. There are plenty of ways to keep yourself in check – have non-alcoholic beverages between alcoholic ones, plan how you will get home and don’t drink on an empty stomach.