The idea of a work social life is a good one on many levels; it helps the workday pass more smoothly and it helps build a professional network. Not many people want to work at a place where they dislike their coworkers and dread the mere thought of going to work.
Making friends in the office ensures a more peaceful and productive workday, as well as people to visit with on breaks. The other side of the coin is if all of your social interactions involve people from work, problems can develop. Read on to learn more about non-work socializing and its benefits.
A break from work life
Even people who love their jobs need an occasional break from the daily grind.
People who spend all their time both at work and away from work with their coworkers will inevitably resort to talking about work projects or topics related to their office. Meeting and making friends outside of the office environment will give you time away from all of that “work stuff” and allow you to just focus on having a good time.
Avoiding awkward situations
In the worst case scenario, you or a coworker/friend get laid off or end up quitting; there will be an awkwardness between you and them. Meeting for coffee or going to the movies will not be the same because the dynamic has changed and you are no longer in the same office.
You can remain friends with people you used to work with, however, it can be really awkward, especially at first. In this instance, it would be good if you had outside friends to be around for a while.
Variety is the spice of life
At the very least, it is nice to have different people to hang out with. Perhaps they can offer different cultural views, different interests and different personalities. You can broaden your social horizons while enjoying some relaxing time away from the office.
Here is a novel thought: you can discuss work (to a degree) and have fresh perspectives from people you do not work with! It might just be nice to see some fresh faces once in a while when you’re not at work.
While it is wonderful to have an active work social life, it is also good to have a social life that has nothing to do with your career.
The main reason for having non-work friends is so you can occasionally get away from work altogether. Sometimes it is healthy to forget work related things, including people, and just have fun. Another plus to an outside social life is getting unbiased opinions about things.
What it all comes down to is reaching and maintaining a work-life balance.
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