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🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The Forgotten Fourth Pillar of Well-Being

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The Forgotten Fourth Pillar of Well-Being

PLUS: How to Balance Socialising and Productivity, Money vs Memories, and more.

Hugo Deane
April 07, 2024

Welcome back to Hugo’s Habits 🧠

Happy Sunday.

(P.S. Make sure you take some time this fine morning to check out the best links section. Some amazing content in there! 👇️ )

In today’s issue:

The importance of social connections.
How to stick to your goals, whilst not being a hermit.
Should you prioritise money over memories?
and more…
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(Estimated read time: 3 minutes)

Best Links This Week ⚡️

Here are the best articles and information I found this week while researching 👇️

(Here is the study on which the article is based on :)

Social networks are as important as exercise, and diet across the span of our lives.

The more social ties people have at an early age, the better their health is at the beginnings and ends of their lives, according to a new study. The study is the first to definitively link social relationships with concrete measures of physical well-being such as abdominal obesity, inflammation, and high blood pressure, all of which can lead to long-term health problems, including heart disease, stroke and cancer.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/01/160104163210.htm

🧠 Cool Neuroscience Shit

Mapping Disease Trajectories from Birth to Death with AI (link)

Viagra Shows Promise as Alzheimer’s Treatment (link)

How the brain changes with learning (link)

AI Outshines Humans in Creative Thinking (link)

📋️ Practical Tips and Strategies

How to have a social life and still lose weight (link)

12 ways to boost oxytocin (link)

7 guidelines for good social connections (link)

🔬 Updates from Research

Doctors can now watch spinal cord activity during surgery (link)

How the Brain Coordinates Speaking and Breathing (link)

A Cutting-Edge Way to Treat Alzheimers (link)

Could We Assess Autism in Children With a Simple Eye Reflex Test? (link)

When we chat about well-being, we often think about hitting the gym, eating our greens, and maybe a bit of meditation.

But there’s this whole other super important piece of the puzzle that doesn’t get enough airtime: our social life.

Yep, hanging out with friends, family, and even making new connections is not just fun—it’s essential. 👇️

So, let’s take a little journey into why our brains love good company and how this knowledge can help us live better lives.

Imagine your brain is like a social butterfly (a bit like yourself); it thrives on interaction and connection.

When we have positive social encounters, our brains give us a little reward in the form of feel-good chemicals like oxytocin, which is pretty much like getting a warm hug from inside your head.

This not only makes us feel better but, nudges us towards keeping up those good habits that got us hanging out with friends in the first place.

Science tells us that an active social life can make us more resilient to stress, help fight away those blues, and even help us live longer.

It’s like having a secret weapon against life’s downs, hidden in your coffee dates and nights out.

Balancing Your Goals and Your Guinness

“Balance is not something you find; it’s something you create.”

Jana Kingsford

So, how do we keep chasing our dreams without turning into hermits? You can be happier, healthier, and more productive, even while enjoying a few drinks with your mates.

Here are some brain-friendly tips:

Tell Your Friends About Your Goals: It’s like making a promise, and because we care about what our friends think, we’re more likely to stick to our plans. They could even adjust the social plans to accommodate your goals, fat loss, etc. (Probably doubtful if your friends are anything like mine, but worth a go!)
Find Your Tribe: Join clubs or groups that share your interests. It’s easier to stay motivated (and way more fun) when you’re part of a team
Book In The Social Time: Treat your social outings like important meetings (because they are). Pencil them into your schedule to make sure they happen. If your nights out are scheduled way ahead of time, you are less likely to make sacrifices for them and slashes the feeling of guilt dramatically.

Money or Memories?

Here’s a tricky question: should we chase the paycheck or the memory-making moments?

Well, our brains have a soft spot for experiences, especially the ones we share with people we care about.

These memories become part of who we are, bringing us joy and a sense of connection.

Buying Things vs. Buying Memories

Which is a better use of your money: buying a tangible item you can use and keep or paying for an experience? We explore buying things vs. buying memories.

thedollarstretcher.com/personal-finance/buying-things-vs-buying-memories

While having enough dough to feel secure is important, it’s the laughter, adventures, and shared experiences that sprinkle our lives with happiness.

It turns out, those moments are priceless when it comes to overall happiness.

Far clear of anything materialistic.

That’s all for this week!

Any questions?

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See you next week,

Hugo.

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