Monthly Archives: July 2022

If you have noticed that it is more difficult to make friends as you get older, you are certainly not in the minority. As people age, they often begin to compartmentalize their lives, breaking things down into containers where they isolate one part of their life from other parts.

In other words, work becomes work, and personal life is largely comprised of interactions with family and, to a lesser extent, time for friends. However, there are signficant benefits to being a coworker and a friend with people on your team or in your workplace.

Making friends at work adds a social component to your day. Friends are also seen as a form of support and encouragement and someone to help you brainstorm and think through ways to solve problems and create possibilities. They are also the people you can call on to go for lunch or a coffee, helping you to get a short mental break from the workday and engage in just having fun, talking about things of interest, and sharing in conversation that allows you simply escape the stress and frustration many people experience during the workday.

A few of the benefits of having friends at work include:

• Higher job satisfaction scores – people with friends in the workplace tend to report higher levels of job satisfaction. This means longer retention in the job, increased positive feelings about their employment, and a better sense of their role within the company as positive and meaningful.
  

• Better workplace culture – workplaces that are seen as friendly and encourage interaction between and across departments, teams, and even offices or locations tend to have a more positive workplace culture. This translates to fewer issues with workplace bullying and harassment and more of a cohesive, supportive workplace environment for all employees and managers.
  

• Lower stress levels – having someone to talk to through stressful situations or to discuss challenges helps to reduce overall workplace stress. Simply having someone to talk to who understands the situation and the players involved in the issue is an effective way to reduce stress around an issue. It also helps to brainstorm solutions and to explore options before making a decision as to how to address the issue.
  

• More creativity and engagement – when people are in a group they know, like, and trust, they are more willing to be creative, make suggestions, and think outside of the box. This not only helps boost problem-solving skills but it encourages everyone to contribute ideas and to step out of their comfort zone.

Having a friend at work is an asset; having multiple friends at work is even better. Getting to know people at work isn’t always easy, but the results of having these interactions are positive for everyone in the organization. 

In a world where people report feeling higher levels of isolation and lack of connection, finding ways to integrate into the community is a simple way to plug in and connect. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through finding a group of people with a passion for the same things that you find interesting, important, and meaningful in your life.

One of the ways to find this group of like-minded people is to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. Volunteering for a community organization or getting involved in a much larger group or organization is a wonderful want to find meaning for yourself while also interacting with people who have similar interests and passions.

Interesting Statistics in Canada

There are some interesting statistics about volunteerism in Canada. Canadians tend to be a group of people that are very open to volunteering, which allows for connections throughout communities, across the country, and even around the world.

A few of the more interesting statistics for volunteers in Canada include:

• In 2018 the number of volunteer hours was more than 2.5 million full-time employee work hours.
• Over 79% of all Canadians over the age of 15 reported participating in some type of volunteer activity in 2018. That is almost 8 out of 10 Canadians who volunteer their time on an annual basis.
• The average volunteer spends approximately 206 hours per year donating their time.
• Hospitals were the leading recipients of volunteer hours, with an average volunteer spending 111 hours per year at the facility. Places of worship were second, with 110 hours per year per volunteer.
• Sports and arts and culture were also significant sources of volunteer time with most volunteers averaging 105 and 104 hours, respectively.
• Volunteering informally, such as helping a neighbor or cleaning a public park or space, typically involved about 45 hours per year for most individuals surveyed.
• Fundraising and event organization are the two most common forms of organizational volunteering.

The Benefits of Volunteering

Regardless of the volunteer activity, there is personal value in giving back to the community. People who volunteer tend to have positive self-esteem and to have higher levels of self-confidence. They are also more connected to their community and are seen as contributing to the good of their community or organization.

Volunteering is also a way to find people who have similar interests, or to learn new skills by working with others. It is also an excellent way to set an example for those around you while having fun and enjoying your ability to help and support others.

Most people have experienced increasing difficulty in making friends as we age. As children, we seem to be able to make friends everywhere we go, and we have an ability to instantly bond and find things in common with others. Over time, and with an increasing focus on the “adult” parts of life, it can seem as if friendships fade into the past, and the ability to meet and connect with new people outside of your spouse or partner and family can seem challenging and much more work than it used to be.

The reality is that the platonic interactions between friends is an important part of mental health and wellness. Having someone to talk to who is not a spouse, partner, or family member but is still a part of your world is important. Without friends, there can be increased feelings of loss, loneliness, isolation, and loss of connection with a part of your life.

Being A Friend

One of the amazing things about true friendship is that it is a give-and-take relationship. To have a friend, you must also be a friend, which means you are kind, compassionate, and caring about another person. Whether you are friends from childhood, college, or from raising your kids together or living in the same neighborhood, you have a sense of shared experiences, culture, and connection. You may have shared goals and dreams, hobbies and interests, or areas of expertise. Many friends also have areas of diversity, allowing you to support each other and provide insight from your unique perspective.

Being a friend means stepping out of your comfort zone and supporting their goals and dreams, all from a very altruistic point of view. Friends choose to be friends and choose to continue to work on the friendship simply because the relationship is important to them both.

Working at Friendship

Effective, positive, supportive, and ongoing relationships take time and work. This is true for our relationships with partners and spouses, and it is also true for lasting relationships with friends.

Working at friendship means finding time to communicate, interact, and stay in touch with what is going on in each other’s lives. It may not mean the same level of daily interaction as you experienced in childhood friendships, but it means making an effort to stay in a relationship that is both enjoyable and satisfying and that allows you have those positive interactions we all need in our lives.

“I sustain myself with the love of family.”

~Maya Angelou

There are few things in life that are as complicated but also as precious as our relationship with our families. Families come in many different shapes and sizes, and they include people with different opinions, ideas, priorities, values, beliefs, and areas of focus.

For all their differences, families are also the one consistent measure in the lives of many people. Jobs may come and go, friendships may become more distant or end, but typically, at some level, our relationship with our family is something we can count on through thick and thin.

Spending Time with Family

It is easy to become focused on being the best you can be in the workplace. So often it seems as if the expectations we place on ourselves, as well the expectations from those up the corporate structure, negate the importance of spending time with our loved ones.

It can also be difficult to find time to squeeze in family time with all the obligations you have outside of work. There may be organizations you volunteer with, commitments to community events, or household tasks that need to be done.

However, missing out on family time can create a void in your life. It is a time when you feel that connection, that sense of belonging and acceptance, and the love and care from people who are important in your life. These family bonds are not always the same, and there may be family members that are more challenging to spend time with, but finding the time to be around family members that are near and dear builds in that sense of identity and support that is needed for self-esteem, self-confidence, and a sense of self-identity.

Mental Wellness on Demand

Spending time with people of different ages, from kids through to grandparents or aging parents, is also positive from a mental health and wellness perspective. Different individuals in the family fill different needs. This includes how being a loving parent to a child or finding a sibling to talk to during challenging times helps us to feel there is a safety net and support network around us.

Stress Reduction

Quality, positive interactions with family members provide the opportunity to talk about challenges, address stressful situations, and get feedback and assistance with finding a solution to the problem, issue, or challenge.

Conversations with a trusted and respected family member are a great way to unburden problems and discuss stressful situations in a safe, comfortable setting. This quality time can be in-person, or it can be time spent together online. It is the quality of the regular, loving, connection that is critical to the importance of family.