Or, says Hassoun, she can check in with friends in a way that feels safe because it is time-limited. I’ve called this the Goldilocks effect—we want our connections not too close, not too far, just right. If Hassoun checks Facebook and sends a few texts and emails, she can stay in contact with other people but not risk too much time away from her job. What she calls her quick “social checks” make the demands of work manageable.