How to avoid arguments via WhatsApp? 5 tips
Talking through messages is very useful, but it can lead to arguments.
WhatsApp has become the most popular means of communication worldwide. So much so, that the all powerful Mark Zuckerberg acquired the instant messaging company a couple of years ago. The Whatsapp application has become indispensable in modern life, connecting us instantly with family, friends, work groups and other groups in an extremely accessible way.
Added to this phenomenon is the key factor: its use to try to manage delicate personal situations and conflicts in general. Discussions via WhatsApp are becoming increasingly commonIt is always easier to say what we do not dare to say in person. A correct use of the characters offered by the application will save us a lot of unpleasantness.
Ways to avoid arguments via WhatsApp.
Personal clashes are, at times, something inevitable given certain circumstances. However, avoid arguing via WhatsApp is the first step to manage these conflicts well.This medium is totally inadequate to resolve these situations. Below we will review several keys to achieve this.
1. Do not say on WhatsApp what you would not say in person.
This is one of the main causes of arguments via WhatsApp. Behind a keyboard we all become extremely brave and say without any shame what we think of the other person on the other side of the screen. Even if it is a friend or, in some cases, a family member.
For this simple reason we must avoid crossing the red line by stopping to think, for a moment, if what we are going to say we would say it in person. If the answer is no, that is a symptom of using technology to adopt an avoidant attitude that not only solves nothing: it can aggravate interpersonal problems..
The ease of access to discussion, coupled with the invisibility of chat, leads to many misunderstandings and anger over chat. Currently, 4 out of 10 WhatsApp users claim to have had an argument with someone, and another 2 out of 10 claim to have broken off relations with someone they know because of this same phenomenon.
2. Shy away from conflictive topics
Premise number one in any type of debate or chat through this type of mobile or Internet-based media. We must be able to avoid any kind of sensitive topics of misinterpretation or emotional management. Politics, religion, feelings or emotions. All these issues are recommended to be produced live, in a personal way..
As we have pointed out before, for the vast majority of people it is more attractive to say certain things through these platforms. We get to say things that we would never even have thought we would be able to say verbally. The simplest way to avoid these problems is to think before writing, before saying what we may later regret.
3. Know how to choose the right moment
When it comes to dialogue, contexts are important. Many of the discussions that are created on WhatsApp are due to not knowing how to manage our emotions linked to uncertainty.. As WhatsApp is based on the transmission of as little information as possible, since non-verbal language is elided, if something related to the other person worries us, the slightest stimulus will cause us to interpret a simple message as a personal attack, an insinuation, etc.
4. Use of emoticons and audio messages
The simple gesture of a smile, an exclamation mark or a friendly expression can radically change the course of the discussion. A "smiley" or a "hug" accompanying certain statements can help reduce the tension of the moment.
It is also suggested to make more frequent use of "voice notes" or voice audios. This is another useful method to avoid misinterpretations and correct erroneous insinuations. and erroneous insinuations are corrected. The tone of voice is a differentiating element when expressing ourselves, besides being much more comfortable and instantaneous, especially when we want to qualify our words.
Thus, the use of elements that go beyond the text is a fundamental element to fully exploit the possibilities of WhatsApp, thereby improving the quality of communication. We can be assertive without harming our interlocutor, we can defend a contrary idea without hurting the feelings of others, simply by using certain formulas to express it and using the option of sending audios. In this way eliminates some of the coldness inherent in the exchange of text messages and a much more relaxed and friendly way of expressing oneself is achieved.
5. Tell me how you write and I will tell you how you are
To finish with this list of recommendations to avoid arguments by WhatsApp, we must be especially careful with what we write, and not try to use strange formulas to adopt another personality in the virtual environment. Our narrative defines the personality we have or that is projected, so if we want to be faithful to our image when speaking, we must apply the same criteria when writing.
If our interlocutor is offended or angry by anything we have written, it is also good to rectify it, not without ceasing to defend that idea, but to avoid making others angry or feel belittled. It is important to remember that what we write says a lot about us.
(Updated at Apr 12 / 2024)