When you work long hours or away from home, there are small actions you can take to keep quality connections with family, friends, and co-workers.

Why it matters.

Having quality connections with other people improves your physical and emotional wellness, as well as your ability to solve problems, be productive and achieve your goals.

What should I do?

• Communicate effectively.
• Build strong connections.
• Be enthusiastic.
• Understand why connection matter.

How should I do it?

Communicate effectively:

• Talk frequently – schedule it.
  • Taking time to talk with someone shows them you like them. Send them an electronic invite to coordinate schedules ahead of time.
• Talk face-to-face either in person or through technology using a streaming APP.
  • Being able to see a person’s facial expressions and gestures builds connection.
• Be a good listener and a good contributor to the conversation.
  • Speaking your truth and listening without judgement are equally important in any conversation.

Read more here

Build strong connections:

• Accept differences.
  • Strong connections are not based only on common interests.
  • Focus on appreciating the other person. This allows you to accept small differences between you in your interests, likes, and dislikes.
• Treat your friends, family, co-workers and others with respect.
  • Respect is gained by being considerate of others.
  • Respect is also gained by being able to calmly acknowledge and set aside differences.
• Treat yourself with respect.
  • Calmly stand up for yourself in difficult situations and describe aspects of a connection that are negatively impacting you.
  • When you do this, you improve communication and set up a sturdy, healthy, connection.

Be enthusiastic:

• Step up and make the first move to build a new connection.
  • If the connection is truly something you want to pursue, start small but take action.
• Try new things. Read more here
  • Taking part in new activities gives you more conversation starters.
  • Having new things to talk about can cause other people to see you as interesting, fresh and well-rounded, and someone they want to spend more time with.
• Rebuild enthusiasm for existing connections by remembering why you started the connection in the first place.
  • Focus on what you appreciate about your connection. Read more here
  • Focus on what you can share together.

Understand why connections matter:

• A network of good quality connections makes a good quality support system.
  • A quality support system can be counted on to provide advice, boost your morale when you need it and provide emotional or financial support.

Other information

Tips for building stronger home relationships:

• Build a safe environment where you can trust and share openly without being afraid.
  • Learn not to interrupt.
  • Learn to disagree fairly – no name calling.
  • Learn not to make threats and apologise when you know you should.
  • Learn to stop, breathe and calm down if you are too angry to really listen.
  • Say what you need to in a calm, constructive manner.
• Separate facts from feelings to see your partner more clearly and resolve disagreements more clearly.
• Develop and cultivate compassion.
  • When you are compassionate you are open, connected and more available to talk respectfully with your partner.
  • When you learn to see your partner compassionately, you develop power to choose your response rather than just react.
• Take responsibility for your physical and emotional wellness.
  
  • Don’t expect your partner to make you physically or emotionally well and don’t try to make them physically or emotionally well.
  • Each of you needs to be in charge of your own wellness.
  • But each of you can support the other in your personal wellness work.
• Ask questions when you’re unsure or making assumptions.
  • Listen to the answers without interrupting.
  • Listen for facts and feelings that are not being described.
  • Ask about what you think is missing from the conversation.
• Prioritise your relationship. No matter who you are or what your work is, all home relationships need nurturing and scheduled time for fun.

• Prioritise and schedule time to connect for the big moments in the lives of your family.

Sources
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Disclaimer:

The information provided by OzHelp Foundation Ltd is general information only and does not take into consideration your own personal circumstances. Before acting upon any information provided, please consider if the information is suitable to meet your own objectives and seek health advice specific to your needs, if appropriate.

Accordingly, OzHelp Foundation Ltd and its employees and agents shall have no liability (including without limitation liability by reason of negligence) to any users of the information provided for any loss or damage (consequential or otherwise), cost or expense incurred or arising by reason of any person using or relying on the information and whether caused by reason of any error, negligent act, omission or misrepresentation in the information.