My overall experience is that both happiness and productivity as a function of incidental daily human contact are inverted U curves. The peak of the happiness curve involves more incidental human contact than the peak of the productivity curve. Being on the under-socializing side of both peaks is a widespread issue for many people, including those who define themselves as “introverted”. I’m guessing that the friend—family distinction varies depending on each person’s individual relationships with those parties.
Time and motivation are two major influences on productivity with happiness influencing motivation. Non-productive human contact decreases time. Relationship valence, in-ex-troversion, and a host of other factors influence the valence of each human interaction. Positive human interaction valence increases happiness, though, like everything, it does come at at opportunity cost.
So negative non-productive relationships will decrease time and motivation, having a double-negative effect on productivity. Positive non-productive relationships will decrease time and increase happiness, and the influence on productivity will depend on whether time or motivation is the limiting factor.
The productivity/non-productivity of the human contact is on a spectrum as well, with “working towards goal” the most productive, “study-buddy” as neutral, and “doing things which take time away from work” as eating the most time away from productivity—but possibly making up for this by being more fun.
Under this model, productivity with respect to human contact is maximized when 1) productive activity is enjoyable 2) to do with other people 3) who you particularly enjoy interacting with. However, this is just a special case of “make work fun to keep up motivation” and degree of extroversion will moderate what you find fun.
That’s way more analysis than was necessary for: “To be happy (and therefore productive) don’t live alone unless you like it, live with people you like, and who help you towards your goals...but beware of socializing cutting into your time” since we all instinctively know this, but there it is.
My overall experience is that both happiness and productivity as a function of incidental daily human contact are inverted U curves. The peak of the happiness curve involves more incidental human contact than the peak of the productivity curve. Being on the under-socializing side of both peaks is a widespread issue for many people, including those who define themselves as “introverted”. I’m guessing that the friend—family distinction varies depending on each person’s individual relationships with those parties.
That is a good summary of how I view this too.
It doesn’t touch the issue of “whom you live with” though.
Time and motivation are two major influences on productivity with happiness influencing motivation. Non-productive human contact decreases time. Relationship valence, in-ex-troversion, and a host of other factors influence the valence of each human interaction. Positive human interaction valence increases happiness, though, like everything, it does come at at opportunity cost.
So negative non-productive relationships will decrease time and motivation, having a double-negative effect on productivity. Positive non-productive relationships will decrease time and increase happiness, and the influence on productivity will depend on whether time or motivation is the limiting factor.
The productivity/non-productivity of the human contact is on a spectrum as well, with “working towards goal” the most productive, “study-buddy” as neutral, and “doing things which take time away from work” as eating the most time away from productivity—but possibly making up for this by being more fun.
Under this model, productivity with respect to human contact is maximized when 1) productive activity is enjoyable 2) to do with other people 3) who you particularly enjoy interacting with. However, this is just a special case of “make work fun to keep up motivation” and degree of extroversion will moderate what you find fun.
That’s way more analysis than was necessary for: “To be happy (and therefore productive) don’t live alone unless you like it, live with people you like, and who help you towards your goals...but beware of socializing cutting into your time” since we all instinctively know this, but there it is.
I like both your analyses, and would like to make you sure it was not me who downvoted them before. Thanks