Stay in Touch With Loved Ones Virtually

loved-ones-virtually

Try this today

• Embrace virtual connections. Some people love seeing friends smile on video chats. Others enjoy texting. Whatever you prefer, do it often. “I don’t know that there’s one right way, but it’s maintaining those routines as much as possible,” says David Cates, director of behavioral health at Nebraska Medicine.
• Connect meaningfully. Find ways to bring the essence of your in-person relationship to your virtual meetings. If you usually dine out with loved ones, order takeout from the same restaurant. If you watch sports together, talk by phone or send texts during the game. Share stories. Laugh together. When you connect authentically, it feels like old times, which in turn reduces loneliness.
• Look each other in the eye. During video calls take time to make eye contact and notice the other person’s facial expressions. When you try to read someone else’s feelings, you’re more likely to be empathetic, which may help you feel closer to your companion.
• Bond with positive people. Talking with someone supportive about the ways that you’re coping during the pandemic may help you realize that you aren’t alone but are part of a broader community working to benefit the greater good.
• Schedule a walk-and-talk. You don’t have to be in front of a computer to connect, and walking has numerous health benefits (weather and mobility permitting). Schedule a walk-and-talk with a friend and use headphones to catch up while you get your blood pumping. It doesn’t matter if you are both huffing and puffing a bit on the phone, because you’re doing it together.

Why

You can’t squeeze all of your friends and relatives into your social bubble, especially ones who live far away. But staying in touch virtually — whether through video chats, text messages or social media — should help you feel less isolated from the people who mean the most to you, according to research, which found that this method of connecting staves off feelings of loneliness and provides a sense of community and comfort while people are sheltering at home during the coronavirus pandemic.