We can all get caught up in the day-to-day, and before we know it, we’ve lost track of friends and haven’t seen them in ages. Carving out time to see your friends isn’t impossible, though.
All too often, many of us take our friends for granted. Life gets really busy, and we let friendships slide, and then it becomes months since we’ve last seen a close friend. And even if you have those friendships where you can see each other and you’re instantly comfortable and can catch up really quickly, it’s still important to make the effort to spend quality time together before you lose touch altogether. Friendships take time and effort, after all, but they’re worth it. Here are some ways you can carve out time in your schedule to see each other.
Combine your friend time with an activity
Is there an activity that’s of interest to both of you that you can combine with seeing your friend? If so, enjoy your favourite pastime together with your friend. Perhaps it’s running together, or if you have a passion for reading, start a book club together. Is there a cause important to both of you? Volunteer together. If your kids are the same age and are into the same activities, try to get into the same league so you can catch up while both of your kids are playing hockey, for example.
Set a standing date
Talk about how often you can reasonably commit to seeing each other. Although you will want to see each other often, resist the temptation to schedule anything too frequently, because you may find what you want doesn’t match with the reality of your hectic schedules. If you establish the right time frame — perhaps once a month — you will both feel much more committed to making the date happen rather than bailing.
Make getting together casual
Many of us tend to make a big deal out of getting together, pulling together a fancy dinner party, for example. But don’t put this extra pressure on yourself or your friend. Your friend doesn’t need a gourmet meal; your regular weeknight tacos will do just fine. After all, it’s all about enjoying each other’s company.
More on friendships
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Do you have a best friend?
Don’t let friendships flounder
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