How to Stop Social Media From Ruining Your Marriage

Change your relationship status. If you got married, your relationship is serious enough to make it Facebook official, so do it. Of course, you don't have to do it if you think that privacy is important, but you need to make it clear that you are taken. So at least make sure that your relationship status doesn't say “single”.

Set ground rules. Everyone has their own approach to using social media. Some people share every aspect of their life on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and some are very private. You need to discuss how much information about your family you are willing to share to avoid conflicts. For example, if your husband doesn't like when you post his photos with a bed head (even though you think it's cute), you should respect it. Naturally, he should respect your boundaries in return.

Don't post negative things about your spouse. So, you had a fight and you are so mad at your spouse that you want to vent to your Facebook friends. Please, don't do it! It's the Internet equivalent of fighting in a public place. Your angry status update will embarrass and humiliate your spouse in front of hundreds of people. Airing your dirty laundry is one of the stupidest things you can do on the Internet.

Stop being sneaky. We are not saying that you need to know each other's passwords, everyone deserves some privacy. However, it will make your spouse very uncomfortable if you don't let them see your pages. Always answer your spouse's questions about your Facebook friends. You have nothing to hide, right? So don't hide.

Trust your partner. If you want your partner to trust you, you need to trust them. Don't get jealous and paranoid over Facebook or Instagram photos. It's very easy to jump to conclusions, but you shouldn't do this. Always talk to your spouse first. We bet the woman he's hugging in the photo that bothers you is his third cousin or best friend's sister, not his lover.

Avoid being friends with exes. Social media gives us an opportunity to reconnect with people from our past, including our exes. However, reconnecting with them is rarely a good idea. You should ask if your spouse is okay with it before adding your ex as a friend. Remember that it's a two-way street: if you are allowed to be friends with your exes, your spouse should be allowed to be friends with theirs.

Spend time and communicate with each other without your smartphones and tablets. Social networking sites are time-suckers. If you lack willpower, they will eat up all your free time. Don't let social media distract you from your relationship with your spouse. Make sure that you spend enough time together and have actual conversations. Turn off notifications when you are having a date night or watching a movie. Don't check your pages before going to sleep, kiss your partner instead.