20 Ways to Keep in Touch When Life Is Crazy Busy
I don’t know about you, but it feels like life never slows down anymore. There’s always something that needs to be done, a deadline looming, a request you can’t say no to, or someone asking a question. I find myself very often getting pulled into the tyranny of the urgent, whether or not it’s important. And this can make it extremely difficult to do what IS important!
Something I’ve been trying to prioritize is keeping in touch with people near and far. I’ve found that if I don’t make a conscious effort, it becomes too easy to let days, weeks and even months go by without having real contact even with some of the people I love most. And so I thought I’d offer some ideas on how to combat this, just in case you’re in the same boat.
20 Ways to Keep in Touch When Life is BANANAS:
Download a reminder app like Strides and set a specific goal to reach out to people, whether an individual, a group, or whatever will help you actually make the call.
Schedule a pickleball court or two on a weekend afternoon and invite a group of friends to see who can make it.
Do the same thing on a volleyball court. Or set up a net in your backyard if you have space!
Invite someone over for dinner. It’s A-OK for dinner to be takeout and for you to shove the mess into another room and close the door.
Meet someone for coffee.
Schedule 15 minutes a day just to send texts or make a call just to say hi.
Send a quick photo update. Snap a picture of something interesting you're doing or seeing and send it with a short message. It's a low-effort way to share a glimpse into your life.
Set up a family or friend group chat and set a time and date for a quick video call, like FaceTime, to check in and see each other.
Start a "reply-all" email chain with a specific topic. Pick a fun, low-pressure topic like, "What's the best thing you've watched recently?" or "Share a small win from your week" and invite a group of friends/family to reply. It keeps the conversation flowing without the pressure of a one-on-one.
Record a short video message. Instead of typing, record a quick 30-second video message on your phone. It can convey more emotion than a text.
Send a handwritten card or postcard. Who doesn’t love getting real mail!? In a world of everything online, a physical card can be a sweet surprise and shows you took a little extra time.
Meet to "walk and talk." If you're both busy, combine exercise with catching up. It's a productive way to connect without adding another sit-down commitment, and you can talk in person if you’re in the same town, or on the phone if you’re not!
Host a game night. There are games for all ages, groups, and interests, and you can make your group as big or as small as you like.
Not in the same location? Host a virtual game night! Some games work really well online too with just a little bit of planning. Maybe you send Bingo cards beforehand that everyone prints out, or you pick a video call platform with a white board feature and play Pictionary. It's a relaxed way to connect and have some laughs.
Create a "thinking of you" playlist. Curate a short playlist of songs that remind you of someone and send it. Music can be a powerful connector, especially when you have shared memories of certain songs!
Start a book club, even a mini one. Choose a book and invite a few people to read it with you, then schedule a casual chat (in-person or virtual) to discuss it.
Plan a recurring "check-in" call. Set a regular, short call with a friend or family member, like every Sunday at 5pm for 10 minutes just to touch base. Consistency is key, so it can be helpful to send a calendar invite with reminders if your calendar is as critical to you as it is to me!
Share an interesting article or podcast you think someone would enjoy. Send it to them with a quick message about why you thought of them.
Offer to do a quick errand or favor. If you know someone is swamped, offer to pick up something for them or help with a small task. Acts of service speak volumes.
Organize a potluck or casual get-together - maybe even a picnic if the weather is nice! Keep it low-pressure by asking everyone to bring a dish, so no one feels overly burdened.
I hope this list is helpful and sparked some ideas for you! At the end of the day, it’s not so important what you do, as it is that you do something. Relationships don’t just happen and life gets in the way ALL. THE. TIME. It’s so easy to fall into a transactional relationship even with the people we see every day (we need to take the trash out, what time is this event, etc), and it takes effort not to let that happen. So here’s to strong relationships! What’s your favorite way to keep in touch and connect with people?