Quarantine Causing You to Feel Disconnected?
We’re going into week 8 of quarantine and even the introverts are starting to value the novelty of human connection.
My livelihood, girl-gang, and business team are all virtual, but I still tend to do quite a bit of socializing in-person with local friends.
Whether you’re a quiet home-body or a social butterfly, there are ways we can still connect even though we can’t be in each other's personal space bubbles just yet.
Here is my list of 6 socially distant, but emotionally connected activities to shake things up a bit.
1. Neighborhood happy hour.
Before lockdown started, weekends were the times when Jake and I would close the laptops and meet up with friends at whichever neighborhood restaurant had the best happy hour within walking distance.
So last Saturday afternoon, we decided we would bring the “happy hour” to our friends. We made a pitcher of frosé and did walk-by doorstep deliveries to a couple of close friends while waving hi from across the street. Next week we’re amping up our game and bringing an air horn like Tracy the neighbor on TikTok.
2. Plan a picnic “date night’
The bright side of this whole social isolation thing is that the weather is getting nice and warm (in most places), so it’s the perfect time for a park or beach picnic!
“More time with my family/spouse?? I’m with them all day!”
Hear me out… when was the last time you went on a “date night” with your husband/wife or took your family for a treat without having to worry about doing dishes, cleaning up toys, or having Netflix on in the background?
Order a take-out meal from your favorite restaurant, get dolled up as you would for a real “date night,” and pack a picnic basket with wine and a blanket. Bring a Bluetooth speaker and prepare a playlist of your favorite songs, or listen to the sound of the waves. It’s the perfect way to reconnect with your loved one.
3. Bike a local trail or your downtown area.
How often do we get the chance to sight-see in our cities without the danger and hustle of traffic and weekend bar crowds? I think back to when I lived in Charleston, and how magical the cobblestone streets of the French Quarter are when they aren’t filled with tourists. Pick a sunny morning or clear evening, call up your close friends, and set up a socially distant bike tour of your city. You might even see the beauty in some areas you haven’t gotten to or appreciated in the past! Jake and I did this a few days ago and saw some communities we just might be adding to our vision boards!
4. Plan a virtual brunch bake-off with your girlfriends.
Before social distancing, brunch was so much more than just a meal. It was time to catch up with friends, a way to try new restaurants, and an occasion that so many of us looked forward to each week.
Whether you’re missing out on Sunday brunch with your girlfriends or looking for a way to host a celebration for a birthday girl, bride, or mom-to-be, consider planning a virtual brunch bake-off!
Decide what you’re going to make (maybe the guest of honor’s favorite brunch food?), and then have everyone prepare their version of it. If you live close to each other, have each person drop off a portion on their porch, contactless, of course!
When it’s time to eat, set up a Facetime session, have each person show what they made, and maybe even let the guest of honor be the judge! Even though your guests can’t be together, they’ll all be grateful you took the time to “get together” and recognize the guest of honor or take time to laugh over mimosas.
5. Join a virtual workout with friends or workout buddies.
Pretty much every workout studio in the world has had to adapt and move to online streaming due to the stay-at-home orders. For some, there’s been a bit of a learning curve…
“Where do I get the equipment for this?”
“Am I going to hold myself accountable?”
For others of us, working out from home is our bread and butter. As someone who owned a fitness studio, I truly thought that was the only way to workout. Over the past three years, I’ve grown to truly love working out from home.
Streaming your workouts means you can switch up the workout program whenever you want to. It means you can do it any time you want to. If you’re someone who needs motivation to actually get it done, a virtual accountability group will help you stay connected to friends, add a bit of friendly competition, and help you to stay on a program schedule.
It’s not the “studio experience” you’re used to, but you don’t have to worry about driving there or picking out an outfit… workout in your pajamas if you want to! I’m actually opening up a few spots in my May virtual accountability group. If the perks I mentioned interest you, click here to learn more.
6. Plan a catch-up with a few different friends each week.
When our normal schedules are in effect, how often do we manage to coordinate catch-ups with our college besties, our cousins across the country, or that couple we have so much in common with?
Between time-zone differences and work schedules, I too often find myself telling friends “We need to catch up soon!”It seems that now, for the first time, no matter where we live or what we do for a living, many of us have similar schedules:
6am: Wake up.
7am-9pm: Stay home.
9am: Go to bed.
There’s never been a better time to schedule a College Reunion, a catch up with an old friend, or to call your grandparent/aunt/cousin who you haven’t seen in a while.
Set aside 30 minutes to an hour twice a week and make a plan to catch up with someone you care about. You ever know who is struggling and needs a friend, who has news they’ve been wanting to celebrate, or who just misses hearing you laugh!
Being “socially distant” doesn’t mean we need to stay isolated.
Human connection is why we are here! Growth and contribution are highest on the scale of what brings us purpose in life and both require community.
If you’ve done something fun and socially distant with friends, I’d love to hear about it!
Drop a comment here or on Instagram @laurenpaige.says and let me know what you’re up to!