It’s a sad fact that many people live far away from their most cherished friends and family. Many years ago, that distance might have stifled relationships because there were so few ways to communicate over long distances. These days, we’re tremendously lucky to have a great wealth of technologies available that make long-distance communication quick, inexpensive, and convenient. So if you’re wondering how to keep in touch with friends and loved ones, you simply need to explore what’s already out there.
How to Keep in Touch with Friends and Loved Ones
Did a dear friend recently move away? Do you often talk to your sister on the phone but miss seeing her lovely face as you talk? Are you bored of e-mails and texts? To start our exploration of how to keep in touch with friends and loved ones, let’s discuss the different methods you can use to communicate with friends and family who don’t live nearby:
- Phone calls
- Letters
- E-mails
- Texts
- Care packages
- Photos or videos (sent via whichever method you prefer)
- Google Hangouts (an app that makes it easy and inexpensive to text and chat with people located in other countries)
- WhatsApp (very similar to Google Hangouts)
- Skype (also very similar to Google Hangouts)
- FaceTime (an app, only available on Apple devices, that offers video chats and phone calls)
- Facebook Messenger (an ideal way to stay in touch – by message, call, or video chat – with people you’ve reconnected with through Facebook, especially if you don’t have the person’s phone number or e-mail address)
- Social Media (such as Facebook and Instagram)
Of course, if you’re able to meet in person, don’t underestimate the power of face-to-face interactions. There’s something special about seeing someone in person – looking the person in the eye when they speak, reading the nuances of their facial expressions, saying goodbye with a comforting hug. Prioritize face-to-face get-togethers with the people you care about.
Tips for Keeping in Touch
- Create a mailing list. Make a list of people who you want to keep in touch with as well as their phone numbers, e-mail addresses, mailing addresses, and/or usernames on social media websites. If you don’t have this information prepared and handy, you’re far more likely to put off sending that e-mail or mailing that thank-you card. Don’t make it any harder on yourself!
- Don’t forget to check your e-mails, apps, etc. There’s no point in having an e-mail address, communication apps, and social media accounts if you aren’t going to check them relatively frequently. How would you feel if you suddenly realized your best friend had sent you a message via Facebook Messenger two months ago and you never responded? So try to get in the habit of checking these accounts at least once per week.
- Remind yourself to reply. Have you ever received a delightful text from a friend, been distracted by something else, and then completely forgotten to reply to your friend? Don’t let this happen to you. If someone sends you a card, a message, a text, a letter, whatever the case may be, make a note to remind yourself to reply and put it in a place that you can’t overlook.
- Create a communication schedule. If you have good intentions of keeping in touch with a friend but you find it hard to follow through as regularly as you would like, consider creating a schedule and putting it on your calendar. For example, maybe you want to write your friend an e-mail each Sunday. Another take on this idea is to set aside a little time each week to write to someone (not necessarily the same person each week). Pull out your mailing list, figure out who you haven’t written to in a while, and send them a message.
- Ask younger relatives to help you get started with new technology. If you’re struggling to stay in touch with your younger relatives, ask them which websites and apps they prefer to use. Perhaps they like WhatsApp, which you’ve never heard of. No worries! Ask them to help you install it on your phone and show you how it works. Not only will this help you stay in touch going forward, but also the process of learning from them will be a bonding experience.
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Keeping in touch isn’t always easy, but it’s well worth the effort. We hope these tips help you maintain relationships with your dearest friends and family members.
Are you looking for a premier assisted living and memory care community in the heart of downtown Greenville, South Carolina? Come visit us at Waterstone on Augusta. Our community is both relaxing and elegant, and we strive to enhance the quality of life of the seniors we serve through teamwork and unity. To learn more about our amenities and to view our lovely community, please schedule a tour online or call us today at 864-605-7236.