7 Good Social Habits to Develop and 5 Bad Ones to Break

Jul 17, 2025

By Will Moore

You're at a dinner party, half-listening to your friend while secretly checking your phone. We've all been there.

In our hyper-connected world, we've somehow become experts at being physically present but mentally absent.

The irony? Despite hundreds of digital connections, many of us feel more isolated than ever.

The science is clear: the quality of our relationships directly impacts our happiness, health, and success. Yet few of us approach our social interactions with intentionality.

The good news? Social habits can be transformed. Whether you're struggling with social anxiety, feeling disconnected, or simply wanting deeper relationships, understanding your social habits is the first step toward meaningful change.

Upgrades You'll Receive:

Understand why social habits are the foundation of meaningful relationships
Identify 5 destructive social habits sabotaging your connections
Discover 7 powerful social habits that foster genuine relationships
Learn how to personalize your habit transformation journey
Access science-backed strategies to make new habits stick

Let's transform your social life, one habit at a time.

Social habits aren't just about being likable—they're fundamental to your wellbeing and success.

Harvard's landmark 80-year study reveals that close relationships predict happiness and longevity better than wealth, IQ, or social class. Study director Robert Waldinger concludes, "Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period."

Physical Health Impact

Your social habits directly affect your body. Strong social connections correlate with increased longevity, stronger immune function, and faster recovery from illness. Research shows that social isolation creates stress levels equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes daily.

Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

Your daily social interactions shape your mental state. Positive social habits foster a sense of belonging, boost self-esteem, enhance emotional intelligence, and reduce loneliness—all critical components of psychological health.

Career and Professional Success

Your social habits significantly impact your professional trajectory. Studies show that 85% of job success comes from people skills, not technical knowledge. Your ability to build relationships often matters more than your technical expertise.

Relationship Quality

Perhaps most importantly, your social habits determine the depth of your connections. They shape how others perceive you, influence your conflict resolution abilities, and determine whether you attract or repel potential friends and partners.

1. Scrolling Your Phone Mid Conversation

That moment when you check your phone while someone's talking? It signals they're not important enough for your full attention. Studies show this seemingly small behavior significantly damages trust and intimacy in relationships. Most concerning is how unconscious this habit has become—we reach for our phones an average of 96 times daily.

Learn more about Dopamine Texting: Why You Can't Stop Checking Your Phone

2. Self-Centered Talking

This occurs when you consistently steer conversations back to yourself. While sharing experiences is natural, constantly redirecting the spotlight prevents genuine connection. Pay attention to how often you respond to others' stories with "That reminds me of when I..." instead of asking follow-up questions.

3. Breaking Commitments

When you frequently cancel plans or arrive consistently late, you communicate that the other person isn't a priority. This erodes trust over time, making others hesitant to rely on you. Reliability forms the foundation of meaningful relationships—when you consistently show up, you demonstrate that others matter.

4. Assuming the Worst

Jumping to negative conclusions about others' intentions creates unnecessary conflict. When someone doesn't return your text, do you immediately assume they're ignoring you? This habit often stems from past hurts but projects those experiences onto innocent interactions, poisoning potential connections before they can develop.

5. Dismissing Others' Problems

Responding to someone's struggle with "at least you don't have to deal with..." invalidates their experience. These comparisons, even when intended to provide perspective, often leave others feeling unheard and diminished. True connection requires acknowledging others' feelings without minimizing them.

These habits don't make you a bad person—they're simply patterns that have developed over time. The good news? With awareness and intention, you can replace them with practices that foster genuine connection.

Learn More: 50 Bad Habits Everyone Should Quit

What do strong relationships have in common? Consistent good social habits. Let’s look at examples of good social habits that build trust, intimacy, and belonging:

1. Active Listening

True listening goes beyond waiting for your turn to speak. It involves fully focusing on the speaker, acknowledging their message, and responding thoughtfully. Research shows that people who feel genuinely heard experience a sense of validation that strengthens bonds.

Practice putting away your phone, maintaining eye contact, and asking clarifying questions. When someone shares something important, try summarizing what you heard before responding.

Learn more about How to Be a Better Listener in a Relationship: Tips and Techniques

2. Regular Check-ins

Consistent communication forms the foundation of strong relationships. Establishing a rhythm of checking in with important people in your life—whether through weekly calls with family or monthly coffee dates with friends—creates reliability and continuity. While quick texts and social media messages are convenient, making time for a phone call, video chat, or in-person catch-up deepens your bond and creates more meaningful memories.

The value isn't in the frequency but in the consistency. Even brief, regular connections maintain relationship strength better than occasional intensive interactions.

3. Creating Shared Experiences

Shared experiences create stronger memory bonds than conversations alone. Research shows that people who regularly engage in activities together develop deeper connections than those who simply talk.

Join a class together, cook a meal, or explore a new place. These shared moments create a foundation of common memories that strengthen relationships over time. Whenever possible, opt for real-life activities over digital ones. While online experiences can be fun, nothing replaces the impact of sharing moments together in person.

4. Expressing Appreciation

Genuine appreciation goes beyond saying "thanks." It involves specifically acknowledging what someone did and how it impacted you. This habit makes others feel valued and seen.

Try: "I appreciate you listening to me yesterday. Having someone who really understood made a difficult situation easier."

5. Setting Healthy Boundaries

Contrary to popular belief, clear boundaries strengthen relationships rather than weakening them. Understanding your "social battery" – how much social interaction energizes or depletes you – is crucial for sustainable connections.

Quality relationships require you to bring your best self, which sometimes means taking necessary alone time to recharge. Research shows that balancing social connection with deliberate solitude improves emotional well-being and relationship satisfaction.

Practice saying "I need some downtime tonight, but I'd love to connect next week" instead of reluctantly agreeing to plans when your social energy is depleted. This honesty creates relationships based on mutual respect and authenticity.

Develop self-care strategies that support your social well-being: schedule regular alone time for reflection, maintain a balance between giving and receiving support, and recognize when caregiving responsibilities require extra self-nurturing.

6. Showing Vulnerability

Allowing yourself to be seen—truly seen—creates connection depth that small talk cannot achieve. Appropriate vulnerability accelerates trust and intimacy in relationships.

This doesn't mean oversharing with everyone but gradually opening up about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with those you trust.

Deliberately seeking new connections exposes you to diverse perspectives and opportunities.

Join groups based on interests, volunteer, or simply practice striking up conversations with new people. Each new connection expands your perspective and strengthens your social skills.

These habits might seem simple, but their consistent practice can transform your social landscape. The key is intentionality—approaching your relationships with purpose rather than autopilot.

Even the best social habits fail without a system to make them stick. These three science-backed methods remove friction and build unstoppable momentum:

Make It Obvious/Attractive

Create clear environmental triggers that prompt your social habits:

Place your phone in a drawer during dinner to eliminate digital distractions
Set a recurring "connection alarm" on your phone for weekly check-ins
Create visible reminders like a friendship photo frame on your desk

Make It Easy

Simplify your social habits until they require minimal effort:

Start with just 60 seconds of full attention when someone speaks to you
Create text templates for checking in with friends to reduce decision fatigue
Choose connection activities that align with your existing routine, like walking meetings

Make It Fun/Rewarding

Transform social habits from obligations into experiences you look forward to:

Bundle social habits with activities you already enjoy (have "coffee conversations" or "walking catch-ups")
Use a habit tracker app to visualize your progress
Celebrate small wins with tiny rewards after practicing challenging social habits

The magic happens when you combine all three methods. For example, if you want to develop better listening habits:

Make it obvious by setting a "presence reminder" on your phone before meetings
Make it easy by having three go-to questions ready for deeper conversations
Make it fun by rewarding yourself with a favorite treat after practicing deep listening

These methods don't just make habits easier—they transform social connection from a "should do" into a "want to do."

AI technology offers a powerful way to tailor social habits to your unique circumstances. Here's a simple approach to create your personalized plan:

Use this template to get customized recommendations for implementing your chosen social habits:

"I'm working to improve my social habits, specifically focusing on [insert 1-2 habits from this article that resonate most with you]. To help personalize my approach, here's some information about me: LIFESTYLE: [Include age, occupation, living situation, schedule constraints] STRENGTHS: [List 3-5 personal strengths like creativity, organization, empathy] PASSIONS: [Share 3-5 things you genuinely enjoy] Based on this information, please suggest: 1. One specific way to make this habit obvious/attractive in my daily life 2. How to make this habit as easy as possible given my circumstances 3. A method to make this habit enjoyable and rewarding for my personality"

Copy this template, fill in your details, and paste it into any AI assistant. The personalized recommendations you receive will be far more effective than generic advice because they'll align with your unique circumstances and preferences.

The beauty of this approach is that it evolves with you. As you learn more about what works, you can update your personal factors and continually refine your social habit strategies.

Also Read our Article on 7 Daily Family Habits

Conclusion:

Social habits aren't just behaviors—they're the building blocks of meaningful connection in an increasingly disconnected world. By intentionally abandoning harmful patterns and embracing positive ones, you create ripple effects that transform your relationships and wellbeing.

Start small, focusing on just one negative habit to eliminate and one positive habit to develop.As you implement these changes, notice how improvements in your social habits create positive effects in other pillars of life. Better relationships often lead to improved mental health, increased career opportunities, and greater overall life satisfaction.

Your Next Steps

Ready to transform your social life? Here's how to begin today:

Choose one bad social habit to eliminate and one good habit to develop
Use the AI personalization method to create your tailored implementation plan
Apply the 3 Momentum Boosting Methods to reduce friction
Track your progress for at least 21 days using a weekly habit tracker app

For those seeking a comprehensive system that makes habit transformation simple, fun, and rewarding across all life areas, explore the Moore Momentum System. This innovative approach combines behavioral science, AI personalization, and gamification to transform not just social habits, but every aspect of life that contributes to deep, lasting happiness.

Take the first step today. Your future connections depend on it.

Social health boosts your emotional well-being, reduces stress, supports physical health, and improves life satisfaction. Strong relationships help you feel connected, cope better with challenges, and live longer.

Regularly checking in with friends or family
Practicing active listening during conversations
Respecting boundaries and personal space
Expressing appreciation and gratitude
Making time for shared activities or meetups