The busy-ness engendered by our workloads (both paid and unpaid/personal) can often lead to a sense of isolation and even loneliness. Here’s one way to support your own wellbeing (and therefore your productivity)…
Casey’s eTip: Engage in Some Small Talk (Seriously!)
Research suggests that having “relational diversity” (connections of various strength with a wide range of people) contributes to our wellbeing–both factual and self-reported.
So how do you connect via small talk? A recent article* suggests you:
(1) Ask the person about something they’re wearing or sporting that might lead to a story about themselves, e.g., “That necklace is striking. I love silver.”
(2) Ask open-ended questions that gently invite information without moving into fraught territory, e.g., “What do you like to do outside of work?”
(3) Share a snippet of personal information yourself, e.g., when someone asks how you day is, you might answer “I got to go for a walk in the woods this morning, so it’s pretty wonderful.”
* Time, by A. Haupt 2023-06
This eTip brought to you by the Communication/Relationships link in your Productivity Chain.