WAKE UP! Your social network is offline.
April 24, 2025In the hustle and bustle of everyday life—filled with appointments, work, obligations, and endless scrolling—we sometimes forget what’s truly important: social connection with the people around us. The people we laugh with, talk to, go for walks with, eat with, and share our worries with. Not through a screen, but simply… in real life.
And yet we live behind our screens???
Did you know that the Dutch spend an average of 5.5 hours a day in front of a screen? (Team Lewis, GWI ’22). And that we spend nearly 2 hours a day on social media? (NEWcom 2025). But—and this is a bit of a wake-up call—it doesn’t make us any happier. In fact, a growing number of studies show that excessive use of social media can lead to feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and even depression.
We’re constantly “connected,” but we increasingly feel disconnected from the people who really matter. Because as our screen time increases, the time we spend face-to-face with friends or family is shrinking. There are still few statistics on this in the Netherlands, but international research suggests that, on average, people spend less than 40 minutes a day on genuine social connection outside of work and household chores.
Genuine social connection is essential
It may seem obvious, yet we often forget it: people need each other. Genuine connection makes all the difference. Spending time with people who support, understand, and encourage you gives you energy, reduces stress, and increases your sense of happiness and purpose.
A conversation with a friend on the couch, a walk with your mother, cooking with your child, a cup of coffee with a coworker. You can practice truly listening and being heard. Readhereto find out how. It’s moments like these that give life meaning.
We know it, of course. And yet we find ourselves getting “swallowed up” by our screens more and more often. That’s exactly what they’re designed to do. The dopamine we get from an ever-increasing stream of notifications and information is addictive. We resolve to scroll less, meet up more often, or “give someone a call,” but before we know it, another week has gone by.
Maybe it would help to take a moment to consciously reflect on the people around you. To ask yourself:
- Who are my true supporters, anyway?
- Who would I like to stay in touch with more often?
- Which relationships are important to me right now?
- And what does my social network actually look like?
" MLM-tool " helps you build social connections
To answer these questions, you can use the “ MLM-tool.” MLM stands for“My Life With…,” a method I developed to help people map out their social network—not only to gain insight, but also to take action.
With the " MLM-tool ," you’ll gain a step-by-step overview of the people around you. Which people energize you? Who would you like to spend more time with? Which connections are important for the future? This tool helps you move from an overview to deeper insight and determine the steps you need to take to refocus on social connection.Get started now!
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