Being a working mom can be challenging, especially when it comes to maintaining friendships. The demands of balancing a career and motherhood can leave little time for socializing, and it can be difficult to find the energy to keep up with friends after a long day at work. As a result, many working moms may find that their friendships begin to fade away, leaving them feeling isolated and disconnected. But friendships are an important source of support and can be a vital part of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Read on to find out how to maintain friendships despite all your busyness!
Prioritize your time
Make an effort to set aside dedicated time to spend with your friends, just as you would with other important responsibilities.
- Schedule regular catch-ups: Make plans with your friends in advance, whether it’s a weekly phone call, a monthly dinner, or a set date for a regular activity, like going to the gym or playing a sport together.
- Take advantage of downtime: Utilize any breaks in your schedule to reach out to your friends and see if they have time for a quick catch-up.
- Make the most of technology: Take advantage of video call platforms like Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime to have virtual hangouts with your friends when you can’t be together in person.
- Plan a day out: Schedule a day trip or weekend getaway with your friends. This can be a great way to catch up and make new memories.
- Do something together online: you can play online games together, watch the same movie, or cook the same dish and discuss it via video call.
- Be open to different types of meetups: Sometimes, a short meeting in the park, or a walk while having a phone call can be enough to keep the friendship going.
- Be flexible: Be open to adjusting your plans if something unexpected comes up, try to be understanding when your friends need to adjust their plans as well.
Just be consistent with the plans and stick to them, by this way you are showing your friends that they are important to you and you want to make time for them.
Stay in touch regularly
Even if you can’t meet in person, make an effort to stay in touch with your friends through phone calls, text messages, or social media. This can help you feel more connected even when you can’t be together in person. Staying in touch regularly is important for maintaining friendships for a few more reasons:
- It helps to keep the lines of communication open: When you stay in touch regularly, you’re more likely to catch up on what’s happening in each other’s lives, share your thoughts and feelings, and offer each other support when needed. Doing so helps the friendship to stay relevant and meaningful.
- It can help prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness: Having regular contact with your friends can help you feel more connected to the world around you and less alone.
- It can help you keep a realistic image of your friend: If you haven’t talked to your friend in a long time, it may be more difficult to remember what they are like and what they are doing. But if you are in touch regularly, you have a better understanding of their current situation, which can help you feel more connected and empathetic with them.
- It can help strengthen the bond and trust between friends: Regular contact allows for deeper conversations, and through these conversations, you will understand each other better.
- It can help keep the memories alive: If you have memories and experiences with a friend, it can help keep those memories alive by staying in touch with them, you can reminisce and talk about them, which will make the friendship stronger.
Regularly talking to friends makes friendships more meaningful, with more touch points. You will feel more connected to each other, and this can make your friendship more resilient to distance and time apart.
Look for opportunities to combine socializing with other activities
For example, if you enjoy exercising, look for a running or workout buddy who you can also call a friend.
Be flexible and understand that things change
Some friendships may naturally fade over time as people’s lives change, and that is okay. Be understanding of changes in your friends’ lives and be open to evolving your friendship in new ways. Of course, losing a friendship can be difficult and can leave you feeling sad, lonely, and even betrayed. Here are a few tips for coping with the end of a friendship:
- Allow yourself to feel your emotions: It is normal to feel sad, angry, or even hurt when a friendship ends. Allow yourself time to grieve the loss and process your emotions.
- Reflect on the friendship: Take some time to think about the friendship and what went wrong. Consider what you learned from the relationship and try to find closure.
- Seek support: Talk to a therapist, family member, or trusted friend about what you’re going through. They can offer you a different perspective and provide support.
- Practice self-care: Engage in activities that make you feel good and help you relax, such as exercise, reading, or spending time in nature.
- Focus on other relationships: Spend time with other friends and family members and invest in building new friendships.
- Be open to new friendships: Keep in mind that friendships are a part of life, and that they may come and go. Be open to new friendships and be willing to take risks to make new connections.
- Learn from the experience: Take something positive from the experience, like learning how to communicate better, to understand more about yourself and your preferences and to recognize what you want and don’t want in a friendship.
Sometimes, friendships may end due to differences, personal growth, or change of priorities. It can be hard to accept and move on, but it’s important to remember that it’s not a reflection of your worth as a person and you can still find other connections. Just make time to be there for your real friends as they need and ask them to do the same. Quality over quantity, this way you can both enjoy your busy lives and keep the bond strong.
