Five Creative Ways to Stay Connected With Loved Ones
It’s proving to be harder than ever to keep our morale up in such a murky time. This lack of human interaction in quarantine is denying our innate need for community. Aside from the luxury of facetime we have had all this time, here are a few ways to maintain a sense of companionship that you may not have thought of yet.
1. Set a common goal with friends and hold each other accountable for it every day.
I don’t mean going and learning a new language, or finally cleaning out your closet. Find something you and your buddies ACTUALLY want to do. Like learning the splits. Send each other a video every night of your progress. By the end of quarantine you’ll either be in Cirque du Soleil or physical therapy. But like, it’s about the journey, not the destination, right? Alternatively, teach Grandma how to use TikTok. Have her send you what she's doing during the day. Birth a star.
2. Create a group Google Doc or Slides project, and share the link with loved ones.
It’ll be like a community photo album and journal. You can make a page or slide for every day until quarantine is over. Before you know it, the blessed day finally comes where all is well again, and you have a cumulative record of an unprecedented time in modern history. Print it out! Show it off!! You survived and can get through anything.
3. Instead of FaceTime, schedule dates with your friends and plan activities.
Make it a recurring appointment. Morning stretches (see #1), share screens on Zoom for a Bob Ross painting tutorial or movie night, cook the same meal together, do a Mad Libs, Pictionary, etc. It’s nice to have things to look forward to and gives us a feeling of togetherness that we so desperately seek.
4. Send each other surprise gifts.
Write a letter, mail them that shirt you accidentally stole from them seven years ago, draw a them a picture of what it would look like if you and their dog morphed into one creature, etc. Or send an e-gift card and have them shop for something they like. Who doesn’t love surprises!!
5. Make Spotify playlists that remind you of each other.
Fill your playlists with songs from your childhood, favorite movies, podcasts, etc. You can also make a collaborative playlist and add songs as you both think of them. Or, have there be a common theme and see what you both come up with. Like “Oprah’s heavy rotation” or “Roller disco with the elderly.” Get dancing!! Play these songs while you clean, work out, or cook and fill your heart up with the warm and fuzzies.
What are you doing to stay connected? How are you navigating social distancing in a time where community is of the utmost importance?
Stay safe, have fun. Remember to smile. Xoxoxo.
