The ObservatorySmall contacts count
The neighbor, the barista, the colleague in the elevator. Research is clear: small talk does more for mood than we think.
How it works
- The undervalued small talkList
- Choose oneWrite
- Lower the barChoose
We imagine that what matters is close friends and deep conversations. That is true, but it is only half the picture. The small contacts, the ones that mean nothing, turn out to mean something.
Exercise in 3 steps, about 8 minutes. Doing it is part of Premium, which you try free for 7 days with no card. With Premium your answers are saved so you can pick up where you left off and look back at what you wrote.
Try PremiumThe rest of the text and the exercise are part of Premium. You try everything for 7 days with no card, and can cancel whenever you like. Sign in if you already have an account.
Why does it work?
Conversations with strangers lift mood more than we predict (Epley & Schroeder 2014), weak ties contribute to wellbeing (Sandstrom & Dunn 2014), and we underestimate how well we are liked after a conversation, the liking gap (Boothby et al. 2018). The effects are small but consistent, and the effort is minimal.
Account, your first assessment with the hexagon and one new measurement every quarter are free. The rest is part of Premium: SEK 99 a month or SEK 699 a year, VAT included.
Read more
Belonging, even alone
A quiet moment that widens the sense of belonging with others, even when no one is in the room
Exercise10 minRelationship upkeep
Relationships are kept alive by small, regular signs, not grand gestures. Map what has slipped and book a contact.
Story4 minThe call Jonas kept putting off
A friendship that fell silent by mistake — and how little it actually took to wake it up again.