essay on social being

Why Being Social Is Important: Benefits and Examples

Scientifically reviewed by Viktor Sander B.Sc., B.A.

As a species, human beings have evolved to seek out and enjoy social interaction. [ 1 ] To survive, our ancestors often had to socialize, form alliances, and cooperate with one another. [ 2 ] As a result, we have an inbuilt desire to make connections and to feel as though we “belong.” [ 3 ]

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the science-backed reasons why being social is good for you, including the health benefits of socializing .

Why being social is important

Physical health benefits of being social, mental health benefits of being social, practical benefits of being social, how to be more social, common questions.

For most people, social interaction is critical for general well-being. Most of us find isolation emotionally painful. [ 4 ] A lack of social interaction can also increase your risk of mental and physical health problems.

Benefits of being more social

Socializing can maintain or improve your general well-being, health, happiness, and job satisfaction.

Research shows that socializing and building relationships with other people has significant physical health benefits, including:

1. Improved immunity

Social support can improve your immune system, and social isolation can weaken it. [ 7 ] For example, research shows that people with smaller social networks show a weaker response to vaccines. [ 8 ]

This might be because loneliness and a lack of social connectedness may cause stress, [ 9 ] and stress can make our immune systems less efficient. [ 10 ]

2. Less inflammation

Low social support is linked with higher levels of inflammation in the body. [ 11 ] Chronic inflammation can contribute to many serious diseases, including diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and cancer. [ 11 ]

3. Better cardiovascular health

Being social is good for your heart. [ 12 ] According to one meta-analysis, social isolation and loneliness are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. [ 13 ]

However, the quality of your social interactions makes a difference to your cardiovascular health. For example, a study that tracked participants’ blood pressure for 24 hours discovered that people who reported more pleasant social interactions had lower average blood pressure. [ 12 ]

4. Less pain and better pain management

Research shows that people with the largest social networks tend to have a higher pain tolerance. [ 14 ] During positive social interactions, your brain releases “feel-good” chemicals called endorphins, which boost your mood and make you less sensitive to pain. [ 14 ]

Social support can also have a direct effect on how we feel pain and how we cope with it. For example, people with fibromyalgia (a condition that causes chronic pain) are less sensitive to pain under lab conditions when their partners are with them. [ 15 ] People living with chronic pain report lower levels of depression and lower pain intensity if they have a higher level of social support. [ 16 ]

5. Improved cognitive skills

Being social can help you stay sharp as you age. Seniors who are satisfied with their social networks and take part in regular social activities are more likely to have better cognitive skills than those who aren’t socially active. [ 17 ]

This might be because when you socialize, your brain practices several skills, including memory retrieval and language. [ 18 ]

Building up these skills in middle age may delay or prevent dementia in later life because it improves your “cognitive reserve,” [ 19 ] which is your brain’s ability to compensate for damage or decline. [ 20 ] People with better cognitive reserve may have fewer symptoms if they develop a neurodegenerative disease that can affect their ability to think or remember, such as Alzheimer’s disease. [ 20 ]

It’s important to note that encountering hostility and aggressiveness can harm rather than help cognitive function—the quality of your relationships matters. Research has found that frequent negative interactions can increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment in older adults. [ 21 ]

6. Reduced risk of dementia

Research has shown that people with weaker social networks and less social support are more likely to develop dementia. [ 22 ]

For example, a study with elderly women found that those who had close friendships and strong family ties were less likely to develop dementia compared to women who had less social contact. [ 23 ] Other research suggests that for both men and women, social integration can reduce risk the of Alzheimer’s disease. [ 24 ]

7. Social networks can encourage healthy habits

People with strong social connections tend to have healthier habits, such as eating a good diet and exercising, if their relations and peers model positive behaviors. [ 25 ]

For example, if you want to get fitter, taking part in group exercise can be more beneficial than working out alone. [ 26 ] This may be because their encouragement can motivate you.

8. Social connections can increase longevity

Because socializing can improve your physical health, it isn’t surprising that people with strong social networks tend to live longer. Research shows that being social can reduce your risk of premature death, [ 27 ] and a lack of social relationships can have a greater influence on mortality than lack of exercise and obesity. [ 27 ]

1. Being social can make you happier

Perhaps one of the most obvious positive effects of being social is that it can boost your mood. Research shows that simply talking to other people usually makes us happy. [ 5 ]

However, the type of conversations you enjoy may depend on your personality. Compared to extroverts, introverts feel more connected to other people when they have in-depth conversations. [ 6 ]

2. Being socially active can reduce loneliness

Loneliness is a subjective feeling that you don’t belong, don’t fit in, or don’t have as much social contact as you would like. [ 34 ] It’s important to note that loneliness isn’t the same as being alone. It’s possible to be surrounded by people yet still feel lonely. Socializing can help you build bonds with other people, which in turn can reduce loneliness.

Feelings of loneliness are associated with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. [ 34 ] It can also have a negative effect on your physical health. For example, one study found that loneliness is linked to higher blood pressure and lower sleep quality in older adults. [ 35 ]

3. Social contact can promote good mental health

There is a close link between social contact and mental health. Being social may reduce your risk of mental illness, and a lack of social contact can worsen mental health problems.

For example, there is a two-way relationship between social isolation and depression. Having few social connections can increase the likelihood that someone will become depressed, [ 36 ][ 37 ] and people who are depressed tend to be less socially active, which can make their symptoms worse. [ 38 ]

Research shows that close friendships are linked with better self-esteem. [ 39 ]

Low self-esteem is a risk factor for depression, [ 40 ][ 41 ] so friendships could be a protective factor. It can also be worth learning how you can improve your social health .

1. Being social helps you access support

Socializing is the first step to forming friendships, which are a key source of social support in times of need.

Social support comes in several forms: [ 28 ]

• Instrumental (practical) support, e.g., helping you move house or giving you a lift to the airport.
• Emotional support, e.g., listening and offering comfort following a bereavement.
• Informational support, e.g., giving advice about dog training based on their experience raising a puppy.
• Appraisal, ( positive feedback about your personal qualities or performance) e.g., congratulating you on an exam result.

Social support can act as a buffer against stress. Research shows that receiving social support lowers the amount of cortisol (a hormone associated with stress) in your body. [ 29 ]

High cortisol levels can put you at risk of psychological and physical health problems, including depression, muscle tension, sleep problems, weight gain, and problems with memory and concentration. [ 30 ]

Because social support can shield you from stress, it can help you cope with life’s challenges. For example, research shows that people going through divorce tend to cope better with the sense of loss that comes with the end of a marriage if they feel well-supported by other people. [ 31 ]

Social support can also lower your risk of professional burnout. [ 32 ] In one study, social workers who received informational and instrumental support from their colleagues were less likely to burn out or suffer work-related stress. [ 32 ]

Finally, social support may affect outcomes in cancer patients. Women diagnosed with breast cancer have higher survival rates if they have close social connections. [ 33 ]

2. Social connections can improve your working life

Socializing at work can help you build better relationships with your coworkers, [ 42 ] which in turn can make your job more enjoyable. People who have a best friend at work are more productive, more satisfied with their jobs, and report higher general well-being. [ 43 ]

3. Socializing can make you more open-minded

Socializing with people from different backgrounds can make you more tolerant and less prejudiced. [ 44 ]

Try to keep an open mind when you meet new people. Most of us are quicker to make friends with people we think are “like us,” [ 45 ] but we can make an effort to look beyond first impressions and get to know someone as an individual.

In general, the following steps will help you make friends and expand your social circle:

• Find people who share your interests, for example, by attending meetups that are based around a shared hobby.
• Take the initiative by making small talk , finding commonalities, and inviting people to hang out.
• Slowly get to know your new friends better by spending time together and opening up .
• Maintain your friendships by reaching out, catching up, and arranging to meet. If face-to-face contact isn’t possible, keep in touch by phone or social media.
• See your social skills and social life as an ongoing project. For most people, the more they practice, the more confident they become around others. Start small if you are very anxious. It can help to set yourself some social goals. For example, try smiling at a couple of strangers or saying “Hi” to someone at work.

Remember that it can take months to become close friends with someone , but you can still benefit from socializing with them while building a bond.

We have several in-depth guides that will help you develop your social skills and make new friends:

• How to make friends (from “Hi” to hanging out)
• How to make friends when you have none
• How to improve your social skills—the complete guide

If you don’t have many opportunities to make friends in person, you may be able to make friends online. Check out our guide to making friends online for in-depth advice.

However, research shows that socializing in person triggers more positive feelings than socializing remotely via the internet or phone, [ 46 ] so try meeting people face to face if possible.

Know when to walk away from a relationship

Although being social is generally good for you, negative social interactions and unhealthy relationships can take a toll on your health. For example, regular conflicts in a friendship can cause significant stress. [ 39 ]

When you get to know someone better, you might find that they aren’t a good friend for you. For example, they may be negative or passive-aggressive. It’s important to know when to walk away from unhealthy relationships. Our guide to toxic friends explains how to spot red flags.

How can you motivate friends to improve their social life?

You can encourage a friend to socialize more by inviting them out. If they have social anxiety, you could also encourage them to seek help for their condition. However, you cannot force someone to change, and you may come across as controlling if you try.

How much social interaction do humans need?

According to a study including 38 countries, people have 6 hours of social contact per week on average and are generally satisfied with their social relationships. [ 47 ] But individual preferences vary; some people have a greater desire for solitude than others. [ 48 ]

Is it OK to be a loner?

Some people are naturally more social than others, [ 48 ] but for optimal well-being, most of us need social interaction on a regular basis. A lifestyle with very little social interaction is likely to harm your mental and physical health. [ 49 ]

• Lieberman, M. D. (2015). Social: Why our brains are wired to connect . Oxford University Press.
• Nature Human Behaviour. (2018). The cooperative human . Nature Human Behaviour , 2 (7), 427–428.
• Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation . Psychological Bulletin , 117 (3), 497–529.
• Zhang, M., Zhang, Y., & Kong, Y. (2019). Interaction between social pain and physical pain . Brain Science Advances , 5 (4), 265–273.
• Milek, A., Butler, E. A., Tackman, A. M., Kaplan, D. M., Raison, C. L., Sbarra, D. A., Vazire, S., & Mehl, M. R. (2018). “Eavesdropping on Happiness” Revisited: A Pooled, Multisample Replication of the Association Between Life Satisfaction and Observed Daily Conversation Quantity and Quality . Psychological Science , 29 (9), 1451–1462.
• Sun, J., Harris, K., & Vazire, S. (2019). Is well-being associated with the quantity and quality of social interactions? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 119 (6).
• American Psychological Association. (2006). Stress Weakens the Immune System . Apa.Org.
• Pressman, S. D., Cohen, S., Miller, G. E., Barkin, A., Rabin, B. S., & Treanor, J. J. (2005). Loneliness, Social Network Size, and Immune Response to Influenza Vaccination in College Freshmen . Health Psychology , 24 (3), 297–306.
• Campagne, D. M. (2019). Stress and perceived social isolation (loneliness) . Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics , 82 , 192–199.
• Segerstrom, S. C., & Miller, G. E. (2004). Psychological Stress and the Human Immune System: A Meta-Analytic Study of 30 Years of Inquiry . Psychological Bulletin , 130 (4), 601–630.
• Vila, J. (2021). Social Support and Longevity: Meta-Analysis-Based Evidence and Psychobiological Mechanisms . Frontiers in Psychology , 12 .
• Cornelius, T., Birk, J. L., Edmondson, D., & Schwartz, J. E. (2018). The Joint Influence of Emotional Reactivity and Social Interaction Quality on Cardiovascular Responses to Daily Social Interactions in Working Adults . Journal of Psychosomatic Research , 108 , 70–77.
• Valtorta, N. K., Kanaan, M., Gilbody, S., Ronzi, S., & Hanratty, B. (2016). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal observational studies . Heart , 102 (13), 1009–1016.
• University of Oxford. (2016). Friends “better than morphine.”
• Montoya, P., Larbig, W., Braun, C., Preissl, H., & Birbaumer, N. (2004). Influence of social support and emotional context on pain processing and magnetic brain responses in fibromyalgia . Arthritis & Rheumatism , 50 (12), 4035–4044.
• López-Martínez, A. E., Esteve-Zarazaga, R., & Ramírez-Maestre, C. (2008). Perceived Social Support and Coping Responses Are Independent Variables Explaining Pain Adjustment Among Chronic Pain Patients . The Journal of Pain , 9 (4), 373–379.
• Miceli, S., Maniscalco, L., & Matranga, D. (2018). Social networks and social activities promote cognitive functioning in both concurrent and prospective time: evidence from the SHARE survey . European Journal of Ageing , 16 (2), 145–154.
• Sandoiu, A. (2019). Social activity in your 60s may lower dementia risk by 12% . Medical News Today .
• Sommerlad, A., Sabia, S., Singh-Manoux, A., Lewis, G., & Livingston, G. (2019). Association of social contact with dementia and cognition: 28-year follow-up of the Whitehall II cohort study . PLOS Medicine , 16 (8), e1002862.
• Harvard Health Publishing. (2019). What is cognitive reserve? Harvard Health .
• Wilson, R. S., Boyle, P. A., James, B. D., Leurgans, S. E., Buchman, A. S., & Bennett, D. A. (2015). Negative social interactions and risk of mild cognitive impairment in old age . Neuropsychology , 29 (4), 561–570.
• Penninkilampi, R., Casey, A.-N., Singh, M. F., & Brodaty, H. (2018). The Association between Social Engagement, Loneliness, and Risk of Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis . Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease , 66 (4), 1619–1633.
• Miller, K. (2008). Social Ties May Help Cut Dementia Risk . WebMD .
• Fratiglioni, L., Paillard-Borg, S., & Winblad, B. (2004). An active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life might protect against dementia . The Lancet Neurology , 3 (6), 343–353.
• Harmon, K. (2010). Social Ties Boost Survival by 50 Percent . Scientific American .
• Yorks, D. M., Frothingham, C. A., & Schuenke, M. D. (2017). Effects of Group Fitness Classes on Stress and Quality of Life of Medical Students . The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association , 117 (11), e17.
• Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review . PLoS Medicine , 7 (7), e1000316.
• French, K. A., Dumani, S., Allen, T. D., & Shockley, K. M. (2018). A meta-analysis of work-family conflict and social support . Psychological Bulletin , 144 (3), 284–314.
• Stoffel, M., Abbruzzese, E., Rahn, S., Bossmann, U., Moessner, M., & Ditzen, B. (2021). Covariation of psychobiological stress regulation with valence and quantity of social interactions in everyday life: disentangling intra- and interindividual sources of variation . Journal of Neural Transmission , 128 (9), 1381–1395.
• Mayo Clinic. (2019). Chronic stress puts your health at risk .
• Kołodziej-Zaleska, A., & Przybyła-Basista, H. (2016). Psychological well-being of individuals after divorce: the role of social support . Current Issues in Personality Psychology , 4 (4), 206–216.
• Himle, D. P., Jayaratne, S., & Thyness, P. (1991). Buffering effects of four social support types on burnout among social workers. Social Work Research & Abstracts , 27 (1), 22–27.
• Samson, K. (2011). Stronger Social Support Shown to Improve Early Breast Cancer Outcomes . Oncology Times , 33 (19), 36–38.
• Beutel, M. E., Klein, E. M., Brähler, E., Reiner, I., Jünger, C., Michal, M., Wiltink, J., Wild, P. S., Münzel, T., Lackner, K. J., & Tibubos, A. N. (2017). Loneliness in the general population: prevalence, determinants and relations to mental health . BMC Psychiatry , 17 (1).
• Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., Crawford, L. E., Ernst, J. M., Burleson, M. H., Kowalewski, R. B., Malarkey, W. B., Van Cauter, E., & Berntson, G. G. (2002). Loneliness and health: potential mechanisms . Psychosomatic Medicine , 64 (3), 407–417.
• Jose, P. E., & Lim, B. T. L. (2014). Social Connectedness Predicts Lower Loneliness and Depressive Symptoms over Time in Adolescents . Open Journal of Depression , 03 (04), 154–163.
• Santini, Z. I., Jose, P. E., York Cornwell, E., Koyanagi, A., Nielsen, L., Hinrichsen, C., Meilstrup, C., Madsen, K. R., & Koushede, V. (2020). Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (NSHAP): a longitudinal mediation analysis . The Lancet Public Health , 5 (1), e62–e70.
• Elmer, T., & Stadtfeld, C. (2020). Depressive symptoms are associated with social isolation in face-to-face interaction networks . Scientific Reports , 10 (1).
• King, A., Russell, T., & Veith, A. (2017). Friendship and mental health functioning. In M. Hojjat & A. Moyer (Eds.), The Psychology of Friendship (pp. 249–266). Oxford University Press.
• Fiorilli, C., Grimaldi Capitello, T., Barni, D., Buonomo, I., & Gentile, S. (2019). Predicting Adolescent Depression: The Interrelated Roles of Self-Esteem and Interpersonal Stressors . Frontiers in Psychology , 10 .
• Mann, M. (2004). Self-esteem in a broad-spectrum approach for mental health promotion . Health Education Research , 19 (4), 357–372.
• Riggio, R. E. (2020). Social skills in the workplace. In B. J. Carducci, C. S. Nave, J. S. Mio, & R. E. Riggio (Eds.), The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Clinical, Applied, and Cross‐Cultural Research (pp. 527–531). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
• Morrison, R. L. & Cooper-Thomas, H. D. (2017). Friendship among coworkers. In M. Hojjat & A. Moyer (Eds.), The Psychology of Friendship (pp.123-140). Oxford University Press.
• Lemmer, G., & Wagner, U. (2015). Can we really reduce ethnic prejudice outside the lab? A meta-analysis of direct and indirect contact interventions . European Journal of Social Psychology , 45 (2), 152–168.
• McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L., & Cook, J. M. (2001). Birds of a feather: Homophily in social networks. Annual Review of Sociology , 27 (1), 415-444.
• Villanueva, J., Meyer, A. H., Miché, M., Wersebe, H., Mikoteit, T., Hoyer, J., Imboden, C., Bader, K., Hatzinger, M., Lieb, R., & Gloster, A. T. (2019). Social Interaction in Major Depressive Disorder, Social Phobia, and Controls: the Importance of Affect . Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science , 5 (2), 139–148.
• OECD. (2018). Social Connections . OECD Library .
• Burger, J. M. (1995). Individual Differences in Preference for Solitude . Journal of Research in Personality , 29 (1), 85–108.
• Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality . Perspectives on Psychological Science , 10 (2), 227–237.

David Morin is the founder of SocialSelf. He's been writing about social skills since 2012. Follow on Twitter or read more .

How To Be More Outgoing (If You’re Not the Social Type)

17 tips to improve your people skills (with examples), how to be more social (if you’re not a party-person), how to never run out of things to say (if you blank out), how to be funny in a conversation (for non-funny people), how to make interesting conversation (for any situation), how to be more approachable (and look more friendly), how to stop being quiet (when you’re stuck in your head), how to not be boring, do people ignore you reasons why & what to do.

I don´t see any resources. I would very much like to see some more.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Notify me when someone responds to my comment.

To get advice relevant to you, choose below:

What is your relationship status, how would you describe your social skills, what statement best describes you, how motivated are you to deepen your friendships, how motivated are you to find like-minded friends, do you agree with this statement “i want to be more likable”, do you agree with this statement “i want to be more interesting to talk to”, do you agree with this statement “i want to be less awkward”, what best describes you, responses successfully analyzed, where should we send your personalized tips.

Daring Leadership Institute: a groundbreaking partnership that amplifies Brené Brown's empirically based, courage-building curriculum with BetterUp’s human transformation platform.

What is Coaching?

Types of Coaching

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Find your coach

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

What is social well-being? Definition, types, and how to achieve it

Jump to section

What is social well-being?

Why is social well-being important, types of well-being, 6 tips for improving your social health, final thoughts on social well-being, be the first to know.

Stay up to date with new resources and insights.

Thank you for your interest in BetterUp.

What is social well-being? And why is it important? This article aims to define social well-being, other types of well-being, and how we can strengthen them for better mental health.

Well-being encompasses many different elements . This includes positive emotions, such as happiness, joy, contentment, excitement, wonder, and calmness. It also includes good physical health and positive, meaningful social relationships and connections. The latter is what constitutes social well-being. It is a facet of well-being that is both individually important and contributes to your overall well-being.

Social well-being can be defined as the sharing, developing, and sustaining of meaningful relationships with others. This allows you to feel authentic and valued, and provides a sense of connectedness and belonging.

For example, when you work on a team over a period of months, or years, even remotely, you have an opportunity to get to know more about your colleagues than just their skills with a spreadsheet. Some become good acquaintances. You share glimpses of your personal lives and develop routines or inside jokes. They ask you about your sick pet or kid. They notice if you’re not there. 

Some become friends. You have deeper conversations, about how you got to where you are, or about your hopes and aspirations for the future. You likely see them on bad days when you can lend a hand and on great days when they return the favor.  Both of these types of relationships contribute to social well-being by bringing enjoyment and allowing you to be seen, appreciated, and valued for yourself.

We are social creatures who need each other. We evolved from chimpanzees, and still share a common part of the human brain: the limbic system. This part of the brain is responsible for our desire to be with others, around others, and connected to others. It generates feelings of safety and happiness within us when we are with our “troop.”

Without awareness, development, and maintenance of our social well-being, we run the risk of becoming socially isolated. This is different from choosing to have some time alone to enjoy solitude. Social isolation isn’t really a choice. Withdrawal from human relationships becomes a self-reinforcing spiral, as isolation leads to negative feelings of fear and threat that lead to more isolating behaviors.  Social isolation leads to loneliness, which can be incredibly damaging. In fact, loneliness can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. 

If you ever played the video game The Sims , you’ll remember that your “needs” panel included a ‘social’ bar that would decrease if you hadn’t spoken with anyone in a while. There was also a reminder that, “Friendships are like plants. If you don’t water them, they die,” which holds truth in that they require tending. Social connection is such an innate part of the human experience that the video game producers built it into their virtual world.

You might be confused about the many types of well-being people talk about. They are all interrelated and the distinctions can be muddy. 

At the core of well-being is how we experience our world, so it is a combination of objective facts — my blood pressure — and subjective perceptions — I feel lonely. Our experience of our world is influenced by our physical health, but also by our surroundings, the people in our lives, and by the actions we take that change our environment. 

Let’s take a look at the most common types of well-being to see how they are all interrelated. 

Emotional well-being

Emotional well-being is the ability to safely express or manage your emotions, as well as generate positive emotions. It begins with awareness of what you are feeling, 

However, many people struggle with emotional illiteracy. That is, they’re unable to label what they are feeling, and therefore unable to communicate it. It can be helpful to simply start by trying to categorize what you are feeling into the four main groups: sad, mad, scared, or glad. 

You can then try journaling to ask yourself open questions to explore that a little further. For example, “What kind of mad am I feeling?” Journaling is a fantastic way to express and explore our emotions safely without causing harm to others. 

Expressing our feelings to others in a non-blaming way can also contribute to our sense of emotional well-being, while allowing others to express their feelings to you. You can do this by beginning sentences with, “I feel…”

Taking time to engage with activities that generate positive emotion in you is as important as managing negative emotions. For example, research has pointed again and again to the power of gratitude for generating positive feelings. Make a practice of taking a pause every day to be grateful for three specific things. Happiness researcher Shawn Achor suggests they be three new things, every day, to prime your brain to be always looking for something new and positive.

Emotional well-being ties into social well-being because we can better form and sustain relationships with others when we are able to regulate our own emotions. Negativity and unpredictable extremes make forming and keeping close relationships more difficult. At the same time, having meaningful relationships tends to make us feel better and is a good motivator for managing our emotions.

Physical well-being

Physical well-being relates to your physical health including your sleep hygiene, nutrition, and exercise. It is equally important to take care of your body and mind because they work together to determine your health. 

You’ve likely experienced how restorative a full night’s rest can be to your body and mind, and much happier you are when keeping up with regular exercise. Monitoring caffeine, sugar, and alcohol intake, while increasing hydration, can greatly contribute to your peak states of physical well-being.

When we feel physically well, we are more open to others and to new ideas, people, and experiences. This openness is inviting, creating the opportunities for meaningful relationships to develop. When we’re exhausted or low-energy, we tend to be more absorbed in ourselves, more likely to perceive threat from others, and just less willing to strike up a conversation or extend ourselves to try new things. When our physical well-being is low, our social well-being can suffer.  

Workplace well-being

Workplace well-being is the ability to pursue your professional goals in an environment that is stimulating, supportive, and enriching. This includes elements of the physical work environment — are you safe, comfortable, and in a space with adequate light, air, temperature and noise controls? It also includes the interactions and interpersonal dynamics — do you feel respected, accepted, and appreciated? 

Workplace well-being might also encompass the nature of the work and how you feel about it — are you growing, preparing for the future and realizing your potential, or stuck and micromanaged? A workplace that cares for your personal and professional well-being provides solid structures, fair rules, and safe relationships that allow you to accomplish, achieve and progress in meaningful ways. 

We spend so much of our time at work that many of our social relationships form and develop in the workplace. For many people, especially younger workers, relationships that start in the workplace can be some of our most important and meaningful as they shape how we experience transitions in life.

Societal well-being

Societal well-being is the ability to participate, feel valued as a member of, and feel connected to a wider social environment. For example, your local community, society as a whole, and the environment in which we live. Feeling like we can make a meaningful impact on the people and world around us improves our sense of well-being personally. It can also tangibly improve the quality of the community in which we live, creating greater societal well-being. 

Taking part in community improvement activities almost always requires working with others who live nearby. For example, when a neighborhood organizes to rehabilitate a city park, people from different age groups may find themselves manning an information booth or shoveling dirt side by side over the course of many weekends. Parents will meet other parents as they clean up a playground. Sharing these larger, unfamiliar activities with others can form strong bonds and open up relationships that might not form in the context of our normal professional or personal life.

Just being aware that social well-being is a real and important piece of your overall well-being can make it easier to address. Just like your physical health, you have to make choices and sometimes take deliberate action to improve your well-being.

• Make connections. There are myriad ways to make new friends at any stage of life. Did you just get a new job? Great! That comes with new colleagues, some of whom can become friends. Did you just move to a new area? Then you have new neighbors and a new community of people waiting to meet you. Did you get a new dog? That can mean new acquaintances at the dog park, who can turn into new friends. There are even “dating” apps for friendship only, like Bumble BFF . 
• Take care of yourself while caring for others.  Taking care of yourself first is like putting your own oxygen mask on first in an airplane before helping another. By investing in ourselves we show up as better friends, partners, colleagues, and parents. If you are providing support for someone who is going through a tough time, ensure you ramp up your own self-care as a proactive measure. Caring for others can take its toll invisibly at first, and later lead to increased stress or burnout. Balance the amount of time you spend by yourself and with time with others. We all need time to recharge — introverts especially!
• Get active with a friend or family member. Inviting a friend on a dog walk or setting a running goal together contributes to your physical well-being, as well as your social well-being. Shared activities can help you bond with your social connections. Look into trying something new together, like aerial yoga, a life drawing class, or watching comedy. Nothing bonds better than laughing! 
• Bond with your kids. Your kids are social creatures who love to play, have adventures, and learn. Bonding with them through activities, quiet moments of stillness, and listening can develop your friendship. This is equally important as your love for one another. 
• Build healthy relationships. Healthy relationships start with clear boundaries. These don’t need to be stated outright, but are learned through healthy expressions of what you will and won’t tolerate in a relationship. Tuning into your emotions allows you to feel into whether the relationship is balanced, equal, and healthy. If something is bothering you, openly discuss it with the other person. Having a constructive, calm conversation where you feel heard and valued is a sign of a healthy and strong relationship. Otherwise, it might be time to reassess if the relationship is still beneficial. 
• Shape your family’s health habits. Develop regular routines and family traditions that focus on health. Friday night swimming or Saturday morning mindfulness is a great addition to a weekly pizza night! You can create new habits whenever you want. How about creating a gratitude jar where every day you write something you are grateful for, and pop it in the jar. At the end of the month, you can reflect on all the positive things that happened!

Modern technology has made it easier than ever to ask friends and family how they are, share content, and speak on the phone with people anywhere in the world. It is important that we have people we can go to during the lows of life, and share joy with during the highs. 

In times of difficulty, we all need to feel like we have someone we can to talk to. Conversation and listening can be so incredibly powerful at helping people move forward. 

It’s also important that we hold space for others, and nuture a mutually beneficial and healthy relationship. Be present when a person tells you how they feel, explains what their experience is, and shares their perspective. Try not to devalue or change those things; just listen — this can be incredibly therapeutic. 

Our social groups can change as we develop, yet some strong connections stay and grow with us. Sometimes relationships and friendships may fall away as we develop more self-awareness and reach new levels of authenticity. This can be difficult to process, but it is a natural part of life. New friendships and relationships will be formed, and they will better reflect who you are now.

Understand Yourself Better:

Big 5 Personality Test

Jenna Sinclair

Jenna is an expert in mindfulness and specializes in Applied Positive Psychology within her coaching approach. She bridges the gap between spirituality and science. This helps her clients learn how to recognize their negative thoughts and behaviors and develop a more authentic way of relating to the world in order to live intentionally, in a way that's true to them. Jenna conducted Master's thesis research on the positive effects of the sea on well-being. Originally from Cornwall, UK Jenna grew up surrounded by the wild ocean and epic coastlines. She is always working on deepening self-awareness via daily meditation and making time to play!

What is subjective well-being and how can you improve yours?

How to achieve and improve emotional health, when you're feeling like an island, 6 ways to overcome isolation, loneliness is no joke. here’s how to deal, “i feel like i don’t belong”: how to find your community, how to deal with toxic family members and keep your peace, it’s not you, it’s your well-being: coach tips for strengthening relationships, starting with yourself, what is mental well-being 7 ways to improve your mental health, not ill, but not well. the languishing of the “massive middle”, what happens when organizations care about well-being, physical well-being and health: what it is and how to achieve it, what is emotional well-being 8 ways to improve your mental health, what is mental fitness a how-to for exercising your brain, is quitting contagious 5 ways to fight turnover contagion, look to your social health if you want to improve your well-being, the social comparison theory: a definition and examples, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

• Platform overview
• Integrations
• Powered by AI
• BetterUp Lead™
• BetterUp Manage™
• BetterUp Care®
• Sales Performance
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Case studies
• ROI of BetterUp
• What is coaching?
• About Coaching
• Find your Coach
• Career Coaching
• Communication Coaching
• Personal Coaching
• News and Press
• Leadership Team
• Become a BetterUp Coach
• BetterUp Briefing
• Center for Purpose & Performance
• Leadership Training
• Business Coaching
• Contact Support
• Contact Sales
• Privacy Policy
• Acceptable Use Policy
• Trust & Security
• Cookie Preferences