Kindness Doesn’t Take Much Time
August 11, 2026
by Candace Smith
The Etiquette Blog
Candace Smith Etiquette
Biography: Candace Smith, wife of Nobel Prize-Winner Professor Dr. Vernon Smith and owner of the extraordinary blog, “Etiquette for the Business of Life” as featured by BBC, Chicago Tribune and USA Today offers her insights.
“The unspoken rules that drive outcomes.”
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In today’s fast-paced environment, we often rush through interactions with little time for traditional social niceties. Yet when encounters become shorter, the small things may actually matter more. A simple “yes, please” or “thank you,” deliberate eye contact, or taking a moment to notice an employee’s name badge and address them personally can transform an ordinary transaction into a human moment. The same is true beyond face-to-face encounters. Paying for the person behind you at a drive-through, returning a neighbor’s trash bin, sending an unexpected card, offering a genuine compliment, tipping generously, or dropping off a meal for a friend requires little time but communicates something important: I noticed you, and you matter. As etiquette expert Judith Martin, better known as Miss Manners, has observed, “When a choice of action must be made, kindly motivation counts a lot.”
Friendliness, particularly toward people we may encounter only briefly, is more than a social nicety—it is character in action. Even when we don’t necessarily feel friendly, choosing to behave with consideration strengthens our connections and offers a small antidote to the outrage, division and isolation that too often characterize modern life. We don’t need elaborate gestures or lengthy conversations to create meaningful connections; we need thoughtfulness and intention. Perhaps the most important etiquette principle for our increasingly hurried world is simply grace—extending it to others who may be struggling, and occasionally to ourselves as well. Even the briefest interaction can strengthen a community when it is approached with genuine warmth and consideration.
