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It's now more challenging than ever to connecting with the most important people in your lives. The sudden loss of seemingly innocuous activities like chatting at the work water cooler or meeting a friend for a coffee has dealt a painful blow to our collective social wellbeing.
Many overlook social wellness, but it's one of the most critical areas of our health and wellbeing. There is a line of thought that goes, "If I can physically survive without social activities, then they can't be that important, right?".
Don't make this mistake. Maintaining a healthy social life is a direct component of your mental and physical health. Falling out of touch with everyone you once held close can be the catalyst for everything from sleep problems to depression. Social wellness is so essential that the American Psychological Association recognizes isolation as arisk factor for premature death¹.
Providing social distance may mean giving others a wide berth, but it doesn't mean living in isolation. You can still connect with others, both old friends and new, even in the age of social distancing. Here are some practical ways to communicate with friends, both old and new.
Texting can't compare to hearing a loved one's voice.Studies have found that talking to friends or family on the phone can lower stress levels and is more calming than merely sending a text².
There's so much you miss out on when you forgo actual speech for texts or emails. Sometimes just hearing a genuine laugh is enough to give you a serious pick-me-up. A phone call also more closely mimics a physical interaction and helps satisfy that basic human need for social closeness that words on a screen never can.
Of course, this doesn't mean you need to pick up the landline for every small question. Before you reach out to someone, ask yourself whether this is something emotional or practical. Are you looking for a quick response or a conversation? If it's the latter, forget the SMS and make time for a voice or face call.
It may feel like we're all being held captive at home, but the world is still turning! A lot of programming has moved online. Whether you're looking for work-related webinars or family-friendly trivia games, there are virtual events available. Reach out to businesses in your community to see what they might be planning.
Don't be afraid to jump into an event by yourself. If you find something that you're interested in, but no one you know is available to go with, don't let that stop you from attending. Meeting new people online is an excellent opportunity to flex your social muscles.
Whether you're looking for work-related webinars or family-friendly trivia games, there are virtual events available. Reach out to businesses in your community to see what they might be planning.
Don't be afraid to jump into an event by yourself. If you find something that you're interested in, but no one you know is available to go with, don't let that stop you from attending. Meeting new people online is an excellent opportunity to flex your social muscles.
Are you feeling overwhelmed by digital conferencing tools? Most of the standard programs have tutorials and tips available. (Zoom, for example, has an entireseries of 1-minute videos detailing everything you need to know to chat online like a professional.)
If you're missing weekend trips and getaways, you may want to take advantage of some of the ways big travel businesses adapt to the COVID crisis. Airbnb has jumped fully on-board with an array of "virtual experiences" that seek to mimic the events you might book on a family trip. What's a better way to reconnect with your family than to meet up virtually for aPlague Doctor Tour through the Czech Republic?
Nothing stops you from organizing events for yourself, so pick your favorite screen-sharing technology and hit up everyone on your contacts list. Whether you use this time to host a virtual "Happy Hour" or an intellectually stimulating literature discussion, the important thing is that you're sharing your day with other people.
You may still see people in person, as long as you're thinking of creative ways to organize in-person events. Take advantage of your home's layout. If you live in a condo or apartment, schedule a time for you and your neighbors to meet up on your balconies. If you live in a more traditional neighborhood, see if you can host a party where everyone stays in front of their driveways.
A lot of our much-needed catch-up conversations follow a similar format. You talk about life and how the current events affect work, school, and everything in between. You probably spend some time grousing about the inconvenience of it all or worrying about health risks or damage to the economy.
A good idea to stay connected is to turn off the COVID talk for a little while. On one of your phone calls, set aside some time to discuss a new movie you've both recently watched. Schedule a Zoom call during dinner prep and cook "together." Offer to virtually teach someone a craft (you can evensell your skills online for a little extra cash).
Digital exhaustion is a real phenomenon³. There are only so many Zoom calls and virtual hangouts the human brain can handle. If you've had enough of the digital suggestions on this list, try ditching the screens and rediscovering the art of letters and postcards.
Your conversations will be slower, but you might find you connect more with the people on your physical pen pal list.
These are just a few ways to stay connected with our support group. As you can see, it usually starts with the proactive step of reaching out. Hopefully, this helps you consider new ways of being a presence in your friends and family's lives. We need each other now more than ever, and being present in each other's lives can make a world of difference in our social health and overall wellbeing.
(1) Novotney, A (May 2019) The risks of social isolation
(2) weBoost (April 2020) Talking On The Phone Is A Good Call: Full BIOMETRIC STUDY Report Findings
(3) Jiang, M (April 2020) The reason Zoom calls drain your energy