People Meaner on Mondays? Avoid Doing This...

I've been posting on LinkedIn for almost two years now. In that time, I've actually tried not to post articles on Mondays. (This being the exception since it's about Mondays.)

Here's Why...

I noticed the comments by readers were always more negative. People were in foul moods. It didn't matter how upbeat a post was, the criticism was always elevated on a Monday. I contribute that to the high level of career dissatisfaction in people's careers. Going back to work on a Monday makes many people depressed. Or, maybe their favorite sports team lost on Sunday. Perhaps, they were nursing a weekend hangover, etc. Whatever the reason, people just seem to be meaner on a Monday.

The Downside Of Venting...

While reading an article on Time Magazine called, "10 Things You Should Never Do When You're Angry," I was particularly intrigued by #3: You Shouldn't Vent. Why? It cites a study showing how reading rants online can make you more angry. Specifically, it states:

Getting anger off your chest sounds like a good idea, but it may actually make matters worse. In fact, people who simply spent five minutes reading another person’s online rants became angrier and less happy in a study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking. An earlier study also showed that venting anger by hitting pillows not only increased anger at that moment but made aggressive behavior more likely in the future. “They feel validated in what they’re saying by venting,” says Narang, “but they’re not less angry.”

What I take away from that study is if I'm feeling mean on a Monday, it's a good idea to not read angry rants online. But, it also tells me something else we should all be careful of...

Sharing Online Is Part Of Your Brand - Be Careful What You Post

We are all businesses-of-one. Even if we aren't looking for a job right now, the truth is, people are searching for us and will find and read our comments. Especially, on a professional platform like LinkedIn. Online impressions matter. As Doris Day said, "People hear what they see." Our comments online give people a sense of who we are. Being known as negative or mean can work against us when it comes time to seek someone's help.

Take This Quiz BEFORE You Post

There's a difference between constructive commenting and pure venting. I tell my coaching clients, before you post anything online, ask yourselves these three questions:

1. Am I adding value and deeper perspective to the conversation, or am I just letting off steam?
2. Will this be viewed as constructive and balanced, or do I sound petty or snarky?
3. Does this sound like the normal everyday me, or is this out of character?

It can be hard not to let loose, but the study above offers good reason why we shouldn't.

Brand or BE Branded - Get Better At Being You Online (Or, Suffer The Consequences!)

Some people will challenge me on this and say we should encourage people to be more transparent as well as more tolerant of people being themselves. But, I think we need to get better at contemplating and sharing our authentic brand, including assessing its impact on others. I believe there's a fine line between constructive and mean, serious and nasty, professional and antagonistic. Thinking twice before posting online could have a direct impact on our credibility amongst our peers.There's a way to be ourselves AND make the right impression.

What do you think?

• Are people meaner on Mondays?
• Do angry rants impact your mood?
• Have you ever changed your opinion of someone because of their online negativity?

I'd love to hear your comments below.

If you want to read more of what I've written, check out my articles on Inc.com.

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PS - Wait? What?! We've never met? I'm J.T. O'Donnell and I'm a career coach and workplace consultant. I work with companies and job seekers helping them find each other. How? I teach both sides how to do a better job of branding themselves.

I'd love it if you'd hit the "follow" button at the top of the page so I can continue to write and share with you on a variety of career and workplace topics.

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