Imagine this, smartphones pinging with notifications. Information overload. Meetings scheduled back-to-back across your video conference platform of choice.
Sound familiar? If we’re being honest, it paints a picture of how disconnected we actually are. This is why networking, learning and real-life events matter more than ever.
The World Happiness Report
In The World Happiness Report researchers found that despite (or perhaps because of?) our tech-forward lives, happiness is more tied to connection than ever:
– Young adults with the most social support from friends and family say they are significantly more satisfied with their lives
– Happiness increased by 15-16% when study participants had at least one close relationship
– Almost 1 in 5 young adults globally report they have no one to count on, double the number from 20 years ago
This got me thinking: what does happiness have to do with business?
The happiness advantage
Networking can feel transactional. We go to events or meet people with a goal in mind: new clients, new partnerships, new deals.
But there’s something else that happens when we connect in real life, spontaneous conversations over coffee, a networking event, an executive dinner or a shared learning experience: human connection makes us feel happier.
Research shows that social connection doesn’t just help us feel good, it also protects us from stress and promotes wellbeing.
And what fuels connection? Learning, whether that be for personal or business goals, learning breeds growth and happiness
All that learning we mentioned has a happy side-effect, too.
When we push ourselves to attend events, join new communities and step outside of our comfort zone, we:
- Learn new skills
- Gain confidence
- Sense achievement
In short, we feel better about ourselves when we’re moving forward.
Want proof that real-life events are here to stay? Look at the stats.
Event data from the last two years has shown a resurgence in face-to-face, in-person events. And according to researchers, there’s a good reason why. Meetings, happy hours, conferences, the hype isn’t going anywhere. As humans, we know that we’re meant to connect. With our coworkers, our clients, our friends. We’re craving:
- In real-life conversation
- Shared experiences
- Authentic professional relationships
Happy people do better work.
It’s also official, according to The University of Oxford, Happy People Do Better Work! and are more productive. So set some goals for the next quarter that you’ll go to events, laugh with your colleagues, as happiness isn’t the result of busywork, it’s the result of human connection.
If you would like to find some events, start by visiting our upcoming events page.
https://beexecutiveevents.com/upcoming-events/
Source: https://www.ox.ac.uk/