Connection through Micro-Moments

Today, I read Dr. Vivek Murthy’s The Reach Out Rule, which emphasizes the critical need for connection in the “micro-moments.” Dr. Murthy’s work first landed on me in 2023 when I read the national report about the loneliness and isolation epidemic, authored during his tenure as U.S. Surgeon General. The report eloquently frames social connection and community as antidotes to loneliness and isolation, which are shown to be as dangerous as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Contrary to the realizations of many, this epidemic had been on the rise long before COVID. The mobilization of society and the fragmentation of human conversations into text messages and idealized social media comparison bubbles have not served our innate need for meaningful connection well.

The Reach Out Rule recognizes that humans gravitate towards thinking about other people we care about, particularly those who are in crisis, in fleeting moments every day. It may just be a second or two that a person comes to your mind. That’s a micro-moment that we need to program ourselves to act upon. Rather than “saving time” by continuing to do whatever is in front of us, we need to shift that frame to recognize that reaching out contributes to saving that person’s well being. And well being influences everything.

This same principle applies to teaching and learning. Human connection is the connective tissue in student success and the more vulnerable a student is, the more impactful a micro-moment can be. Faculty, when that student comes to mind, reach out and let them know. This can be as simple as, “You came to my mind today. How are you doing?” When students sense that their instructor cares about them, they are more likely to lean in. Small, vulnerable expressions breed trust and dialogue; threat shuts them down. A positive emotional connection influences human performance in a positive way.

New research (Puckett & Felton, 2026) found that one of the key reasons faculty don’t prioritize relationship-building in their teaching is because “effective, relational teaching” isn’t recognized or rewarded by their departments or institutions. Based on my experiences, I concur. In this moment, when we are scrambling to respond to AI, the institutions that design a new architecture that values trust, empathy, and human connection as core competencies for the classroom (in all modalities) and the workplace are the ones that will stay afloat.

Who’s on your mind?