Socializing isn’t always the easiest thing to do. You could be shy, busy, or not feel like you have any friends. Even so, making an effort to socialize has health benefits.
In general, socializing at least once a week will boost your happiness. There can be a diminishing return if you spend excessive time with the same few people.
There is a lot of data, and everyone is different. So let’s take a deeper look to help you find your sweet spot.
Socialize once a week with different groups of people
Socializing once a week with different groups of people can be very beneficial. By socializing with different groups of people on a regular basis, you can make new friends, learn more about other cultures and lifestyles, and even gain valuable life experience.
Additionally, exposing yourself to different conversations and topics can help expand your knowledge base.
Being social does not have to mean going out or attending events; it could also mean scheduling virtual hangouts or phone calls with friends who live far away. No matter what form it takes, making sure to dedicate some time each week for socialization is an essential part of maintaining mental health and well-being.
Another reason to vary the groups of people you’re with is shown in this article from Psychology Today. It points out that too much time with family who don’t live with you can actually cause less happiness.
The article also says that around once a month is a sweet spot for those relationships.
Does that mean once a month is all you need to socialize? Nope.
While it might seem convenient for people who shudder at the thought of being around others for any length of time, this article from Gallup shows that people are happier and less stressed when socializing. This even applies to shy or introverted people.
Something else that’s interesting is that people who had a rhythm of work and social time had more happiness and less stress than those who didn’t work. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as producing value or financial security.
This article shows that a case can be made that adults should socialize several times per week, but not everyone has the same social desires.
This brings up a few questions that we should answer:
How much should you with your individual makeup socialize? What’s the ultimate goal of this socialization?
Having a relational web is critical for happiness
Socialization is important, but it’s just the means by which you get a healthy relational web.
A strong relational web consists of meaningful and supportive relationships with family, friends, colleagues, mentors, and any other people who are important in your life.
Having a wide range of relationships can provide more support and open more opportunities for growth and development. Having meaningful relationships that encourage you to be the best version of yourself will ultimately lead to greater happiness in life.
It’s essential to invest time and energy into your relationships so that they remain healthy and beneficial for everyone involved. Having a relational web is an important part of self-care because it can provide emotional support and help reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation.
Taking the time to nurture your relationships can have long-term benefits that will contribute to overall well-being.
This can be seen in a Harvard study that’s currently run by Robert Waldinger. It’s one of the longest and most comprehensive studies on relationships and connectedness.
It’s found that having strong relationships was the key to having a happy, meaningful life.
The research revealed that good relationships protect people from loneliness, depression, and physical illness. The study also revealed that people with strong social connections were more likely to be happier and healthier than those who lacked connection.
Furthermore, these findings showed that the quality of relationships, rather than just the quantity, was important for well-being.
Here’s a TED talk he gave (which happens to be among the most popular TED talks of all time) that goes into more detail.
Do you spend enough time with others?
You now know (if you didn’t already) that socializing makes you happier and a major key to a fulfilled life is healthy relationships.
With that in mind, how much time do you need to feel relationally satisfied? Are you a super-extrovert who needs to spend almost every day interacting with people at parties, networking events, meetings, or hanging out?
Or maybe you’re an incredibly shy introvert who never feels like new interactions.
That’s why once a week was given as a general rule for you to adapt as you need to.
If you find yourself socializing far less than that, there are probably going to be issues related to that in the future. Slowly increase your time spent around other people.
Nowadays, it is more important than ever to have a supportive relational web in our lives. But do we take the time to maintain close relationships with our family and friends?
Spending quality time with others can be difficult as life gets busy, but it is so important for our well-being. We should make sure that we are investing enough of our energy into these relationships and taking the time to nurture them.
It can be as simple as spending an hour chatting with a friend or having dinner with your family. Making an effort to spend quality time with others will help you build strong relationships and provide you with the support system you need during tough times.
Prioritizing this time with friends and family members can be difficult, especially with all of the other things that take all your attention. Work and social media will take all your time if you let it.
Figure out how often you need to be social to feel fulfilled in your relationships, and slowly work towards making that happen. With a little bit of effort, you can have more fun and live a happier life!