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How We Learned to Be Lonely

Five takeaways:

  1. Brooks argues that the pandemic has resulted in a major collective trauma: one of loneliness. He worries that relationships severed during lockdown are not being reestablished, and that we must fight to overcome this.
  2. A March 2022 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation showed that 59 percent of respondents said they had not fully returned to their pre-pandemic activities.
  3. The rise of remote work has been socially devastating, Brooks argues. Work was once a source of social interaction, but as a large swath of the workforce continues to work from home, those connections are not being made or strengthened. 60% of workers said they feel less connected to their coworkers than we were before the pandemic.
  4. People are prioritizing socializing for fun, as well direct extended family interaction, way less than they did before the pandemic. There is data that suggests that when people “get out of the habit,” of prioritizing this time, it is difficult to resume.
  5. Growing habitual loneliness is a public-health crisis. Research has consistently shown that isolation is linked to depression and anxiety, and has been shown to lead to premature mortality, worsen cardiovascular health, increase inflammation, and more.

From Arthur C. Brooks at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

Don’t Just Spend Your Time- Invest It

Five takeaways:

  1. Thinking of time as something to be invested in, rather than spent, can help people think more long-term. It can help them reevaluate their priorities, making them happier and more satisfied with their lives.
  2. Rewarding investments of time might include deepening social connections, exercising, and engaging in meaningful work. Each has a range of benefits that can be wildly unexpected!
  3. To determine your own best time investments, you can perform a time audit, where you record how you spend your time and how happy it makes you feel on a scale of 1 to 10.
  4. To invest your time more effectively, you can be proactive and block off time on your calendar for activities that are important to you, rather than trying to fit them in around other commitments.
  5. Viewing things like deepening social connections or volunteer work as “wastes of time” because they provide no financial reward can make you feel guilty. Viewing these things as investments reframes them as a part of a lifelong journey of meaning and human value.

From Joe Pinsker at The Wall Street Journal:

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Note: At the time of this posting The Wall Street Journal requires a subscription to read this article.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Setting Your New Year’s Resolutions

Takeaways:

While the idea of a New Year’s Resolution is based on a healthy impulse– the need for self-improvement– setting them irresponsibly can also set you up for deflating failure. This article details seven common mistakes people make when setting their resolutions. These mistakes are:

  1. Setting a non-specific goal: To increase the likelihood of success in a new year’s resolution, it is important to define specific and achievable goals. Start with small steps rather than trying to make huge leaps.
  2. Failing to consider why you’re making a resolution: It is important to have a clear and concrete reason for making a New Year’s resolution, so that it is easier to stay motivated and avoid making resolutions just for the sake of it. Writing down the goal will make it more concrete– and achievable.
  3. Making goals too restrictive: Attempts at self-restriction are difficult to maintain because people often see them as a loss of freedom, which can be overcome by indulging in the behavior that is being prohibited. Using positive language when setting resolutions, such as specifying actions to take rather than actions to avoid, may be more successful in achieving the desired goal.
  4. Not changing your environment: Success can be increased by making changes to one’s environment that support the desired behavior. For example, replacing unhealthy food with healthy options and surrounding oneself with people who engage in healthy behaviors can make it easier to adopt healthy habits.
  5. Setting a HUGE goal: While it may be thrilling to say, “On Jan 1, I’m never eating fast food AGAIN!” It is not realistic. It is more effective to focus on making small, incremental changes towards a single goal rather than trying to overhaul one’s entire life. It is better to make progress towards a goal, even if it is a small amount, than to set ambitious goals that are difficult to achieve and potentially lead to feelings of failure.
  6. Not using your support network: It can be especially beneficial to let trusted people know about one’s goals and plans and to enlist their help in staying accountable. Having accountability partners or friends working towards similar goals can also make it easier to stay motivated and achieve success.
  7. Feeling Guilty for Failing: Setbacks and challenges are a normal part of the process of working towards a goal and should not be seen as a reason to give up entirely. It is important to be kind to oneself and recognize that achieving a goal can be difficult!

From Stephen Johnson for Lifehacker:
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This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.

The Lionel Messi Guide to Living

Five takeaways:

  1. Lionel Messi, a 35-year-old soccer player from Argentina, recently led his team to victory in the World Cup final, solidifying his place in the sport’s history. This article discusses how Messi’s lifestyle and approach to the game allowed him to excel at such an advanced age in the sport.
  2. Messi is often compared to Portuguese soccer player Ronaldo, who was also 37 and participating in his last World Cup. Ronaldo struggled with the limitations of his age and was visibly upset when his team was eliminated in the quarterfinals against Morocco. In contrast, Messi was able to use his experience and tactical skills to excel on the field and lead his team effectively.
  3. Throughout the tournament, Messi lived up to his global stature and maintained a galactic level of play by embracing his limitations– not trying to overcome them. He used his experience to conserve energy on the field, make pinpoint tactical decisions, and find weaknesses in opposing defenses. It “wasn’t just the product of natural gifts but also the accumulated wisdom of a career.”
  4. His experience also informed the way he led his Argentinian teammates– knowing when to show emotion to referees while also providing a more restrained leadership style. “He took responsibility for his team while never acting as if he transcended his team,” Foer states.
  5. In a world that covets youth, we can learn from Messi’s success. Instead of straining to live up to his former speed and power, he embraced his experience both mentally and physically– to the benefit of not only his team, but his country.

From Franklin Foer at The Atlantic:
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Note: At the time of this posting The Atlantic offers five free article views per month.

This site may contain links to articles or other information that may be contained on a third-party website. Advisory Services Network, LLC and MAP Strategic Wealth Advisors are not responsible for and do not control, adopt, or endorse any content contained on any third party website. The information and material contained in linked articles is of a general nature and is intended for educational purposes only. Links to articles do not constitute a recommendation or a solicitation or offer of the purchase or sale of securities.
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