US surgeon general Vivek Murthy describes five forms of being alone – the first four of which can damage your mental and physical health:

• People are more connected, digitally, than ever. Yet loneliness is epidemic.
• Combat loneliness by listening to others without distraction.
• Elevate your small-talk skills by embracing authentic curiosity.
• Having productive conversations about uncomfortable topics r...

• If you want to strengthen your bonds with others, approach conversations with a spirit
• of generosity and gratitude. Take time to show others you appreciate them by making them “feel famous.”
• You see them and are grateful for their presence and contributions to the world.

You can overcome your feelings of loneliness by cultivating stronger listening skills, which allow you to better connect with others.

• Take notes – Jot down notes about new people you meet. Refer to your notes before you see them next.
• Give people access to you – To build trust with others and make them feel valued, share something with them that you don’t share with everybody you...

Use these strategies to minimize unproductive conflicts, navigate uncomfortable conversations and build empathy with others:

• Share a transformational truth – If you want people to celebrate your success with you, then share the struggles and moments of conflict you faced before reaching your goal.
• Establish your credibility – People are attracted to credible people who d...

• Use your eyes – To better understand others, pay attention to body language clues, such as your conversation partner protectively crossing his or her arms.
• Embrace a “beginner’s mind” – Remain open-minded, letting go of any assumptions of your own ...

When people express intense emotions, avoid the impulse to react emotionally too. Instead, ask neutral questions like what makes the issue so important to them.

When the pandemic ends, people will likely hug their friends again and greet one another physically. In the meantime, people will continue to find new ways to connect digitally, such as using virtual “buddy check-in” systems to help manage feelings of isolation.

• Use emojis when appropriate – Basic icons, such as thumbs-up symbols and smiley faces, help the recipient of a text-based message understand your desired tone.
• Describe your emotions in video and voice calls – Use words to convey specific emotions....

Focus on other people’s faces when they tell you their names. To further cement a name in your memory, ask a question about the name, such as how to spell it. Or make a connection between the name and something/someone else. You can also try using a person’s name in conversation.

Healthy relationships generate a slew of positive benefits. Research shows, for example, that doubling your number of friends boosts your well-being as much as increasing your income by 50%. But despite humanity’s need for connection, people everywhere are experiencing increased loneliness. In 20...

Ask yourself why you want to tell a story. Are you hoping to entertain, enlighten, persuade or give information to your listeners? Think about your audience’s concerns and priorities, and how your story could service those needs.

Digital forms of communication abound, but social connection platforms can actually exacerbate feelings of loneliness. For example, people who passively scroll and post status updates on Facebook – as opposed to engaging with others via comments – actually feel more isolated

Build stronger social ties by cultivating curiosity about others. Research shows that people feel closer to conversation partners who express curiosity. They also view such individuals as more attractive. Curious people care about what’s happening around them and genuinely want to hear people’s s...

The future workplace is hybrid, with people workingLogin both from home and in offices. Leaders will need to proactively work to help their teams feel a sense of community and social connection.

People often conceal their true feelings from others when performing social roles. For example, when making a sales pitch, you might pretend to be confident when you’re actually feeling insecure. Yet a willingness to show others your authentic self is the bedrock of healthy relationships. You mig...

• Share a secret or unexpected truth – Revealing something unexpected about yourself (provided you’re not oversharing with the wrong people) can intrigue your listeners.
• Include vivid details – Improve your storytelling skills by sharing the details ...

Slow down and be intentional with your focus. Put away your devices. Don’t force a conversation to follow your own agenda. Instead, try asking open-ended questions, letting others direct the flow of the conversation.

Make a video of yourself reading something you’ve prepared, and watch it. Reflect on your performance, particularly on your effectiveness in conveying emotions. Make adjustments as necessary before attempting a live video call.