By Julia Alicandri
The third segment in the blog series ‘Happiness in the Workplace’ is something we love to practice, but sometimes we put other obligations first. Spending time with friends and family! We all juggle many responsibilities, from household chores to workplace duties, so it’s easy to let the every-day consume you; however, spending time with family and friends is a key element to finding ultimate happiness!
When George Vaillant, the director of the Grant Study, a 72-year-long study of the lives of 268 men, was asked what he had learned from his comprehensive case, he responded in a simple, yet surprising way: “The only thing that really matters in life are your relationships to other people.” Maintaining strong relationships is also good for your health. According to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Brigham Young University, having a multitude of strong social ties can actually help you live a longer and healthier life!
So, how much time should you spend focusing on your relationships? Well, it all depends on your situation. If you are lucky enough to live near friends and family, make it a habit to spend time with them once a week. If you live far away, try to keep these relationships secure by communicating regularly. For instance, remember to share good news with friends and family. Sharing good news with others increases the perceived value of those events, and an enthusiastic response promotes the development of trust and positive social orientation toward one another. Encourage your friends and family to share good news with you as well! This will all help build and uphold long distance relationships. If you don’t see your friends or family often, try Facetiming on a regular basis. When you do see these important people in your life, try to build those relationships in the small amount of time you get to spend with them.
In the Grant Study mentioned above, 93 percent of the men who were successful at age 65 had been close to a sibling at an earlier age. It’s clear that these relationships help shape us into strong and successful human beings. Spending time with family and friends is something we all love to do (for the most part), but sometimes we fall short in this important aspect of life. Most of us love our careers and it feels great to accomplish tasks at work, but try to remember that family and friends are important as well! Don’t look back on your life and regret all those missed opportunities to spend time with your loved ones.
Check out my previous blogs in this series: Part 1 – Exercise More and Part 2 – Sleep More! And be on the lookout for Part 4!