Syncing up with others, even to do mundane tasks, could be the tool to transform your health in a major way, research suggests.
If you want to boost your mood—and maybe even lengthen your lifespan—the secret may be simpler than you think: Do just about everything with someone else. Even if it’s a task you typically tackle solo, such as reading, new research says you might be better off grabbing a buddy.
An August 2025 study, conducted by University of British Columbia scientists and published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, found that people consistently report being happier when they share activities with others, whether it’s walking, playing games, or grocery shopping.
The team analyzed responses from more than 40,000 participants in the American Time Use Survey, looking at over 100,000 activity instances using data collected across four different years: 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2021. In all, they assessed the effects of socializing during 80 different activity types.
Across this massive dataset, nearly every activity was rated as more enjoyable when done with another person: “What we see is that participants consistently rate every common daily activity as more enjoyable when they’re interacting with somebody else,” Elizabeth Dunn, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia and co-author of the study, recently told The Washington Post.
Some activities, like eating, religious practices, or hosting or attending parties, naturally lend themselves to social interaction, and these showed the greatest happiness boosts. But even solitary tasks, including commuting, laundry, or doing arts and crafts, were rated as more pleasant when shared with someone else—proving that the benefits of social connection can extend far beyond traditionally “fun” activities.
That said, there was one exception: Based on data from 2021, the team found that the one activity linked to a dip in happiness when done socially. That activity? Kitchen and food cleanup. “Indeed, some work suggests that the impact of sharing an experience with someone else depends on whether the activity was enjoyable,” the study authors observed.
Researchers caution that these findings are descriptive rather than causal—meaning social interaction may not automatically make everything better. But they do highlight just how strong the happiness boost can be when we include others in our daily routines.
According to Harvard Health Publishing, this could also translate to notable gains in physical health and lifespan, too. Their experts note that loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29%, respectively.
So, as you plan your week, remember that even small tweaks, like swapping solo chores for shared tasks or joining a friend for a walk or a book club, may pay off in mood and health. It turns out that life’s everyday moments, from the mundane to the joyful, are often brighter when we experience them together—just as long as we’re not scrubbing dishes at the same time.
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