Five Twitter survival tips I’ve learnt the hard way.

1. Perspective. It’s only Twitter. There are people on here convinced that Government policy/election results/the future of the world depend on them winning that Twitter argument. It doesn’t. You’ll have forgotten 99% of your timeline by this time next week.

2. Twitter attracts some very angry & unhappy people who want to share their anger & unhappiness with everyone else. Don’t let them. Block & mute are your friends. You don’t have to put up with abuse IRL. Same here.

3. That troll with 7 followers leaving a snarky question/comment in your replies doesn’t want a debate, they want to borrow your audience. Ignore them.

4. It’s up to you who you engage with. No one has a right to be followed, or to a reply, or to see your tweets. Remember what you’re using this site for and only follow/engage with accounts that support those aims.

5. Perspective again. Almost everything in your life is more important than Twitter. It’s not worth being unhappy for. If it’s making you unhappy change something, take a break or delete your account.