My friendships are one of the most important parts of my life and I have a great group of friends that I enjoy spending time with. We’re used to going out for brunch, having late nights, and going on group adventures. I’m used to seeing my friends literally every single day so things have been harder the past few months. This time of physical distancing has definitely changed our routines and has made it difficult to stay connected but not impossible!
- Check-in on your friends
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Not being able to see your friends on a regular basis can make it hard to keep up with everything going on in their lives. Take a moment to check-in and make sure they’re doing okay, especially if you haven’t heard from them in a while. It can be as simple as a text or as easy as a quick phone call.
- Set a schedule
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Set up a regular time to chat and catch up. Make it weekly, biweekly, or even just once a month. Whatever works for the pace of your friendship but make sure you put in your calendars. Try to stick to it but don’t kick yourself if you need to reschedule, life happens.
- Make the most of technology
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We live in an era of endless technology, so use it! It’s easy to send a couple of texts throughout the day but take some time to have a deeper conversation. Use apps and sites like FaceTime and Netflix Party to maintain some aspects of your life before physical distancing.
- Enjoy the outdoors
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If the weather is still nice and warm where you are, then get outside! Go for bike rides with your friends, have picnics in the park, make a bonfire and have some smores, you could even go hiking. You’ll be able to keep your distance while getting your body moving.
- Don’t be too hard on yourself
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This isn’t an easy time for anyone, you’re allowed to feel overwhelmed. There is a lot of pressure to show up for others right now but taking a bit of extra time for yourself doesn’t make you a bad friend.