On RUOK Day, a day that encourages open conversations about mental health and reaching out to others, we’re reminded of the importance of social wellbeing.

Our relationships are more than just a part of our lives—they’re vital for emotional regulation, stress management, and overall wellbeing. Unfortunately, prioritising social connections is increasingly challenging in today’s fast-paced world filled with long work hours and screen time.

So since the pandemic, I’ve been interviewing experts to find out their advice for building social fitness, and I’m going to share four of their top recommendations below.

But before I share their advice, I just want to emphasise how important it is to be patient with ourselves and our loved ones who are struggling. Small steps toward connection can make a big difference, but healing takes time and can turn small steps into humongous ones.

Mental health challenges, trauma, and economic difficulties can make fostering connections really difficult and this takes time to resolve. In many cases, professional help such as therapy can be the best first step.

If you or a loved one is dealing with depression or loneliness, please speak to your local GP for guidance or visit the R U OK? Find Help Page for a list of support services.

4 Expert Tips for Building Social Fitness

For those of you who feel ready to start building your social biome, read on for expert tips below.

1.Focus on Community (with Professor Andrew Leigh)

Community involvement strengthens social bonds, especially during challenging times. It helps us feel a greater sense of purpose in where we live and builds trust with our neighbours.

Professor Andrew Leigh suggests finding community activities that align with your interests - whether it’s a volunteer project, conservation club, or fitness group. Building connections locally, even through small gestures like saying hello to a neighbour, can foster a sense of belonging and improve overall wellbeing.

Take Action: Over the next week, be more aware of what’s going on around you in your community. If you have time, look for community events or volunteer opportunities. Otherwise, start by engaging with those around you in small ways, like offering help or saying hi to a new neighbour.

2.Talk to Strangers (with Gillian Sandstrom )

Even small, seemingly insignificant conversations can boost happiness. According to Dr Gillian Sandstrom, brief chats with strangers, like a barista or a fellow dog walker, can increase your mood by 17%. These small interactions not only uplift us but also help us feel more connected to our surroundings. Better yet, they benefit those around us too.

Take Action: Challenge yourself to talk to one new person each day this week. If that feels overwhelming, start small by making eye contact or smiling at someone while out on a walk.

3.Shift Focus to Making Others Happy (with Professor John Helliwell)

John Helliwell shared that If there's one thing we can take from the World Happiness Report, it's that looking at things from an individualistic point of view doesn't make us happier.

The evidence shows that the better questions to consider are the following:

●      What can I do to make other people happy?

●      What can I do to make a better society? What can I do to make my neighbours, local community, strangers and friends happier?

Helliwell points out that this conclusion has a lovely, combined message. Because when we begin finding answers to those questions, we actually will become happier ourselves.

Take Action: Simply try and shift your mindset when it comes to how you think about happiness. Instead of asking how you can be happier, ask how you can bring happiness to others. When the goal is the creation of happiness for everyone, the outcome is higher happiness for not only ourselves - but everyone else too.

4.Build Your Social Biome (with Professor Jeffrey Hall )

Jeffrey Hall introduces the concept of a "social biome"—the entire range of interactions we have throughout the day, from social media connections to face-to-face conversations.

Prioritising these connections, particularly in person, can enrich our social lives. Even sending a text or planning a coffee with a friend can help build your social fitness.

Take Action: Schedule a social activity for the week ahead, whether it’s meeting a friend for lunch or catching up over a phone call.

Or keep things simple by reaching out to some you haven’t checked in with for a while, and ask them how they are.

Read more: https://www.duncanyoung.com/blog/social-fitness-ruok-day

For further support please see this list of mental health resources.