Social connections help you in your personal and professional life. They provide opportunities for networking, career advancement, and personal growth, and they help you develop new skills, gain new perspectives, and broaden your horizons. So how do you do it?
1. Stay in touch with existing friends and family
Try regular phone calls, text messages, or email. Consistent low-effort contact keeps relationships alive even when life is busy.
2. Schedule regular get-togethers
Schedule meetings with friends, family, and even work colleagues. A simple weekly coffee or lunch date works, or organize a get-together with more people: a bar, dinner party, or BBQ.
3. Get involved & volunteer
Join community groups, professional associations, or clubs that align with your interests. Find an organization where you can share your passions and contribute at the same time.
4. Be open to new experiences and people
This could include taking a class or workshop, attending a networking event or meet-up, or trying out a new hobby. Showing up in new contexts puts you in front of new people.
5. Be approachable and friendly
Smile, make eye contact, and signal that you are ready for a conversation. Move with deliberation. Body language sets the tone for whether others approach you.
6. Give rather than ask
Perform acts of kindness for others without expecting anything in return. Generosity compounds, and it is almost always remembered.
7. Practice active listening
Ask questions and listen carefully to what others have to say. Avoid judgment. People remember being heard, and being heard is rarer than it should be.
8. Share something personal
In a safe environment, share a story that's personal and relatable: a challenge you have faced and overcome, something that touched you, or a personal development you are experiencing. Vulnerability is what turns acquaintance into friendship.
How to strengthen social connections while traveling
Before your next trip, check who you already know in the destination city. Reach out before arrival. Suggest a coffee, walk, breakfast, or airport meet-up. The best networking habit is not collecting new contacts; it is reactivating existing ones at the right moment.
That's exactly what apreet is built for: it overlays your itinerary against your contacts so you can see, in advance, who'll be in the same city or airport. Try apreet free →
Why are social connections important beyond a pure business perspective?
Most of us like being liked, love being loved, and, for the most part, enjoy returning the favor.
Social connections are a foundation of our society. Not only scientists but all of us stand on the shoulders of giants
(Isaac Newton, in a letter to a fellow scientist in 1675). Modern life, from kindergarten, school, and religious organizations to profit and non-profit groups and our family as the nucleus of society, all builds social connections.
The connections we make inside and outside these institutions instill a sense of belonging, support, and happiness. They work against depression, anxiety, and stress. They help us live longer, healthier lives. They are as crucial to our health as diet and exercise.
Spending quality time together, sharing a laugh, or lending a listening ear all contribute to the endless benefits of relationships. Have fun with family, friends, and colleagues. 😀
Sources
- Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley. "Seven Guidelines for Healthy Social Connection." Evidence-based public-health guidance on the number and quality of relationships, and the role of weak ties and solitude. greatergood.berkeley.edu
- Systematic review. "Interventions to improve social connections: a systematic review." 2021. Finds that psychological interventions and easier access to people are the most effective ways to build meaningful connection and reduce distress. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Seppälä, E., and colleagues. "The Connection Prescription." American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 2018. Social connection as lifestyle medicine, with regular group activity recommended weekly or at least monthly. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
