The Harvard Study of Adult Development — now with 85+ years of data — found that close relationships, more than money or fame, keep people happy throughout their lives. People who were most satisfied in their relationships at age 50 were healthiest at age 80. The study also found that financial success depends more on warmth of relationships than on intelligence. Relationships aren't a side note to productivity. They're central to flourishing. --- ## Why Relationships Are Foundational Most productivity systems treat relationships as external — something to manage around your "real work." MakeTimeFlow takes the opposite view: your relationships *are* the foundation. They shape your energy, your opportunities, your resilience, and your sense of meaning. Knowing who matters to you — and what role they play in your life — helps you: - **Protect time** for the people who matter most, not just the people who demand the most - **Delegate intentionally** based on team strengths, not just availability - **Set boundaries** where you need them, so energy flows toward what matters - **Recognize patterns** in how you invest your social time --- ## Research-Informed Relationship Circles MakeTimeFlow organizes relationships using a research-backed structure of concentric circles. Each serves a different purpose in your life: ### Inner Circle (3-5 people) The most important people in your life. Relationships you want to protect at all costs — people who provide deep emotional support and meaning. *Examples: Spouse/partner, children, closest friend, parents* ### Close Friends & Family (10-15 people) People you regularly spend quality time with. Your second ring of deep connection. *Examples: Siblings, close friends, extended family you're close to* ### Growth Network Mentors, coaches, accountability partners — people who help you level up. They challenge you, guide you, and hold you to your commitments. *Examples: Career mentors, fitness buddy, business coach, peer mastermind* ### Professional & Collaborative Network People you work with regularly. Understanding their strengths and roles helps you collaborate and delegate more effectively. *Examples: Team members, boss, clients, project partners* ### Weak Ties & Opportunity Network Casual connections who might open doors. Stanford sociologist Mark Granovetter's research shows that these weak ties are often more helpful than strong ties in accessing new opportunities and information. *Examples: LinkedIn connections, former colleagues, conference contacts* ### Energy-Draining Relationships People where you need stronger boundaries. Recognizing these relationships honestly helps you protect your energy for what matters. *Examples: Difficult family dynamics, drama-focused connections, demanding people* ### Community & Responsibilities Community commitments and care responsibilities that require your time and attention. *Examples: Aging parents, volunteer work, community leadership, caregiving* > [!info] Quality Over Quantity > Research shows it's not the number of relationships that matters, but the quality of close ones — how much vulnerability and depth exists, how safe you feel, and the extent to which you can relax and be truly seen. --- ## Relationships in MakeTimeFlow When you map your relationships, the system becomes smarter about helping you: ### AI Coaching Your coach understands who matters to you and can suggest ways to protect time for those relationships. It can also help you think about delegation and collaboration based on your professional network. ### Task & Time Prioritization When you're deciding how to spend your time, knowing your relationship priorities helps the system understand that "dinner with family" isn't a distraction from important work — it *is* important work. ### Goal Setting Your [[Getting Started with Goals|Success Stories]] often involve other people. Mapping your relationships helps you write goals that account for the human dimension — not just what you'll achieve, but who you'll achieve it with and for. ### Boundary Protection For energy-draining relationships, the system can help you recognize patterns and protect your time. Not every relationship needs more investment — some need thoughtful limits. --- ## How to Map Your Relationships - **Through conversation** — Ask your AI coach: "Help me think about my relationships" or "Let's map my relationship circles" - **In your preferences** — Add and organize your relationships directly Start with your Inner Circle — the 3-5 people who matter most. You can expand to other circles over time. For the research behind this approach, see [[Our approach to thinking about relationships]]. --- ## Related - [[Know Yourself]] — The foundation: values, strengths, and relationships - [[Values]] — What drives you and why it matters - [[Strengths]] — What you're great at and how strengths show up in teams - [[Flourishing Map]] — How relationships connect to the Relationships domain - [[Our approach to thinking about relationships]] — The full research behind our approach