Firstly, a big thank you to Tyler Shores and the team at both the Thinklab and Pitt Building for facilitating the talk.

 

Please note we are updating our website in the next month so the below is in a simple format.  If there are any areas of content you’d like more information on please email hello@unplughq.com.  For updates feel free to follow Chris Flack on linkedin (here)

 

Keynote notes;

 

Lonely playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0UQFcaGvBdUMi8Lz5s0gKl?si=cfb8cf533ab04de8

 

The Why

 

Impact – Individual

Harvard Grant Study – Social Connection is the #1 predictor of life satisfaction

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-secret-to-happiness-heres-some-advice-from-the-longest-running-study-on-happiness-2017100512543

 

Loneliness makes you 26% more likely to die;

Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Baker M, Harris T, Stephenson D. Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015 Mar;10(2):227-37. doi: 10.1177/1745691614568352. PMID: 25910392.

 

References to multiple studies showing link to improving recovery from Cancer

https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/social-connections-linked-to-better-survival

  

Impact – Work

Article with links to studies showing improvement in wellbeing, performance and retention https://hbr.org/2019/12/the-value-of-belonging-at-work

 

Microsoft Work Index showing positive impact of strong work relationships

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/worklab/work-friends

The way we work

 

Screens vs in-person

First review of the largest current longitudinal study on workplace loneliness with the following quote;

“Neuroscience research has found that only in-person interactions trigger the full suite of physiological responses and neural sychronisation required for optimal human communication and trust, and that digital channels such as video conferencing disrupt our process of communicative information.”

Knight, C., Olaru, D., Lee, J.-A., & Parker, S. (2022, May 2). The loneliness of the hybrid worker. MIT Sloan Management Review. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-loneliness-of-the-hybrid-worker/

 

Solutions

 

Societal awareness

·      Loneliness a bodily function, just like hunger

·      1/3 of people in the western world are lonely – https://www.statista.com/statistics/1222815/loneliness-among-adults-by-country/

·      It has a major impact on individuals, organisations and society (can lead to polarisation)

·      How to spot the signs i.e.. awareness of loneliness loop – Quote from Brene Brown – “When we feel isolated, disconnected, and lonely, we try to protect ourselves.  In that mode, we want to connect but our brain is attempting to override connection with self protection.  That means less empathy, more defensiveness, more numbing, and less sleeping……Unchecked loneliness fuels continued loneliness by keeping us afraid to reach out”.  Key research on the loneliness loop; Louise C. Hawkley, Ph.D., John T. Cacioppo, Ph.D., Loneliness Matters: A Theoretical and Empirical Review of Consequences and Mechanisms, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Volume 40, Issue 2, October 2010, Pages 218–227, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-010-9210-8

 

Individual Change

·      Brain Health – Exercise and Rest (sleep / meditation / quiet time) can help reorient reward centres to more healthy behaviour.

·      Connect with yourself

Self-compassion

1)    Recommended meditation (Chris Flack teaching a meditation via the free app Insight Timer) – https://insighttimer.com/chrisflack/guided-meditations/self-tonglen-compassion-considering-ourselves-with-two-aspects

2)    Recommended learning (retreats) UK https://www.samyeling.org/ – Ireland https://www.dzogchenbeara.org/

3)    Recommended learning (books) – Conor Creighton – The Truth about Love https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0717194000/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_T7HNYR437G3ZM57NHG12?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

4) Recommended apps – DailyHaloha is a great app to encourage reflection and empathy https://dailyhaloha.com/

 

·      Be kind to yourself

If you feel lonely find someone to talk to about it. Remember you are not alone, many people feel lonely, if no-one is available to chat then; 

a) if in the UK, lots of resources listed at https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/feelings-and-symptoms/feeling-lonely/

b) if in Ireland goto www.text50808.ie (a free, anonymous, 24/7 messaging service providing everything from a calming chat to immediate support). 

If seeking professional help, research suggests that Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is a good place to start.

·      Individual change – Self Worth

If you think your friend /colleague is lonely

Try not to ask them if they want help 

Ask them to help you

 

·      Self Worth – A framework; volunteering

UK www.doit.life / Ireland www.volunteering.ie

 

·      Self Worth – A framework; community groups (meetup.com is a good resource and below are some examples)

• • Dublin Boys Club https://www.thedublinboysclub.com/
  • Galz Gone Wild https://galzgonewild.com/
  • Ripple Effect Ireland https://www.instagram.com/rippleeffectireland/
  • Park HIIT https://www.instagram.com/parkhiit/
  • Men’s Sheds Ireland https://menssheds.ie/ UK https://menssheds.org.uk/
  • Women’s Sheds (Sheshed) https://www.sheshed.org.uk/about
  • Please email hello@unplughq.com to add your community group to the list!

·      Digital Habits

Social Media impact on mental health – Meier, Adrian & Reinecke, Leonard. (2021). Computer-Mediated Communication, Social Media, and Mental Health: A Conceptual and Empirical Meta-Review. Communication Research. 48. 1182–1209. 10.1177/0093650220958224.

 

·      iPhone Effect study

Misra, S., Cheng, L., Genevie, J., & Yuan, M. (2016). The iPhone Effect: The Quality of In-Person Social Interactions in the Presence of Mobile Devices. Environment and Behavior, 48(2), 275–298. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013916514539755

 

·      Increase friction with tech – Have an “UnPlug Zone” for small periods of time in certain rooms. For example, no devices in certain meetings.

 

·      Decrease friction with humans –  Try to remove all friction eg even airpods when walking passed others to enable a more open connection.

UnPlug has a Digital Resilience assessment available here (check your organisation’s ability to cope with increasing digital demands)

 

 

Organisational Change

 

·      Organisational framework for change

Importance of “togetherness” in company culture

For example,

If you build it, they might come e.g. free food in the canteen

If they build it, they will come e.g. cooking classes for teams each quarter

·      Firefighters that make food and eat together outperform colleagues

Kniffin, K. M., Wansink, B., Devine, C. M., & Sobal, J. (2015). Eating Together at the Firehouse: How Workplace Commensality Relates to the Performance of Firefighters. Human performance, 28(4), 281–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959285.2015.1021049

·      Encourage Collaboration  – Atlassian Performance Review based on Collaboration

https://qz.com/work/1671163/atlassians-new-performance-review-categories-weed-out-brilliant-jerks/

·      Encourage Kindness – Cisco People Deal

https://www.forbes.com/sites/patrickmoorhead/2018/08/08/ciscos-people-deal-exemplifies-its-cutting-edge-commitment-to-employees/

·      Importance of weak ties

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200701-why-your-weak-tie-friendships-may-mean-more-than-you-think#:~:text=She%20found%20that%20participants%20with,a%20greater%20sense%20of%20belonging.t

Thanks for attending.   Along with this subject, UnPlug run evidence-based programmes, coaching and advisory services on the following;