Publications
Publications
- April 22, 2020
- Harvard Business Review Digital Articles
Why You Miss Those Casual Friends So Much
By: Gillian M. Sandstrom and A.V. Whillans
Abstract
On a typical day, we interact with somewhere between 11 and 16 casual acquaintances—for example, the barista we see every morning or the colleague we greet in the hallway. During the Covid-19 pandemic, with many of us practicing physical distancing, these once-common interactions have disappeared, and our social ties have been limited to more formal, scheduled—and often exhausting—check-ins with family and close friends. The authors offer suggestions on how to repurpose the informality and spontaneity of weak-tie interactions to help us stay connected while reducing the risk of burnout.
Keywords
Citation
Sandstrom, Gillian M., and A.V. Whillans. "Why You Miss Those Casual Friends So Much." Harvard Business Review Digital Articles (April 22, 2020). (Shared Authorship.)