Social Atrophy Is the New Burnout
And the cure isn’t more screen time, it’s presence.
The other night, I walked into a room full of strangers. Entrepreneurs, coaches, creatives. The kind of crowd where you usually expect a lot of surface-level talk.
But that’s not what happened.
From the moment I stepped in, the conversations felt... different. Real. Present. There was joy in the way people asked questions, depth in the way they listened, and genuine curiosity in every “tell me more.”
I spent the evening in a dozen different conversations… none of them transactional. All of them human.
It reminded me just how much I love connection. How much I missed it. And how much I’ve craved it without even realizing.
On the way home, I started listening to a podcast, and what I heard left me sitting in my driveway long after the episode ended.
Reflective Twist
The episode had an expert who was talking about social atrophy… the slow and quiet breakdown of our ability to connect deeply.
And the scary part? It’s not that we’ve stopped caring.
It’s that we’ve stopped practicing.
Texting is efficient. Emojis are easy. Group chats feel like a community.
But real conversation? Real presence? That takes effort. Vulnerability. Intention.
Since the pandemic, we’ve been trained to protect our space. To keep the camera off. To “touch base” without really connecting.
And now, we’re out of shape.
Some stats I looked up that made my jaw drop:
61% of young adults say they feel “serious loneliness.” (Harvard, 2021)
49% of Americans report having fewer close friendships than they did a decade ago. (Survey Center on American Life)
We now spend 7+ hours per day on screens, but face-to-face interactions are still 30% lower than pre-COVID levels. (PEW + American Time Use Survey)
That’s not just sad.
That’s dangerous.
Because connection isn’t a luxury. It’s a lifeline.
And the more we let those muscles weaken, the harder it becomes to show up. Not just socially, but emotionally. Professionally. Spiritually.
Feel-Good Prompt
So here’s what I’ve been reflecting on:
What would happen if we treated our ability to connect like a muscle that needs regular reps?
Not a chore. Not something to “network” or “leverage.”
But a daily practice.
One question deeper.
One text turned into a phone call.
One “hello” to someone on the sidewalk.
Imagine what would shift if we just stopped hiding behind convenience and started showing up awkward, unfiltered, and real.
And if we’re talking emotional intelligence?
That’s the gym for it.
Because EQ isn’t about being polished. It’s about being present, especially when it’s hard.
Your Weekend Invitation
Here’s your social rep for the week:
Pick up the phone and call someone. Yes, like actually dial. Not a text. Not a voice note. A real phone call.
And when they answer, ask them this:
“What was the highlight of your week and why?”
I know. It sounds weird.
You can even tell them it’s part of a social experiment your coach asked you to do. (Blame me, I can take it.)
But here’s what you’ll notice:
People don’t get asked questions like that very often.
It’ll catch them off guard in the best way.
And suddenly, you’ve cracked open a moment of real connection.
One call. One question. One reconnection.
Let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear what they say.
The Bowtie Wrap-Up
Here’s what I’ve learned from it all:
We’re not broken. We’re just rusty.
And the beauty of rust?
It comes off with use.
This week reminded me that social atrophy doesn’t need to be a death sentence.
It’s a call to stretch. To reconnect. To practice.
And I’m doing just that: one bowtie, one coffee chat, one real conversation at a time.
Let’s rebuild these muscles together. The world needs them.
With presence, purpose, and people in mind,
Antoni
Want more of this in your workplace?
Social skills are business skills. I coach teams and leaders on how to build emotional intelligence so they can reconnect, rebuild trust, and lead with influence.
👉 Just reply if you want to learn more.