One risk factor for burnout that has been identified is a lack of community. Developing relationships at work give you a sense of belonging, access to shared resources, and make it easier to ask for help. 15 tips to improve social connection. Taken from: How to Stay Socially Connected: Your Life Depends on It.
- Start with yourself: Becoming aware of why you act and react in certain ways may be helpful for developing more healthy ways of interacting with others.
- Watch for your thoughts: Decreasing negative self-talk will help you to have a brighter outlook on life and attract people you want to interact with.
- Say “yes” more often: Participate in social events (even the online ones) or activities that interest you.
- Get outside of your house and your head: Go for a walk or run at a local park. Start talking to people--you’ll make an acquaintance and possibly a new friend.
- Be proactive: Even if you are an introvert, like me, make a list of people you care about and reach out: don´t wait for others to initiate contact.
- Be friendly at work: Work relationships can be a source of care and comradery and a place to get support when setbacks happen. If you work in a physical office, be open to chatting for a few minutes with whomever you encounter at the water cooler or coffee machine; consider making a habit of eating lunch together each week instead of working through it.
- Be present: Whenever possible, shut your computer down and meet a friend or an acquaintance for coffee or a drink. Face-to-face communication, eye contact, smile, and closeness have amazing benefits.
- Stay close to your inner circle: Having a group of close friends promotes mental health and a quicker recovery from physical illness. It also could enhance your quality of life with good conversations and feeling supported and understood
- Speak regularly to immediate or extended family: These are people who in some ways know you best and often will help you in challenging times.
- Spend quality time with loved ones: You could organize a weekly Zoom movie club with extended family, where each one selects a movie that everybody has to watch with a discussion to follow.
- Prioritize social connections in your schedule: Set a time each week on your calendar to connect with people you care about whether personally or electronically.
- Remember the “little things”: Sending a quick birthday note, a congratulation for a happy event, or a condolence for a loss lets people know that you care about them.
- Re-establish past social connections: Reliving experiences and events is a great tool to be more resilient and emotionally healthy.
- Maintain present social connections: Relationships go through periods of ups and downs; however, you can keep them alive by being more patient, less judgmental, and giving people the temporary space they need.
- Join a formal group: Consider enrolling in a new class, join a book club, volunteer, chat with or help a neighbor.
Finally, remember that life teaches us every day that our most wonderful, inspiring, happy, funny, sad, or dreadful moments have to do with people in our lives. What keeps us healthy, meaningful, and fulfilled in our life is not money, power, or fame, but the quality of our social ties. Making an effort to nurture and strengthen your relationships will have the most impact on your life and the biggest return on happiness.
Recommended Book to Read
The Six Conversations: Pathways to Connecting in an Age of Isolation and Incivility by: Heather Holleman