Traveling or moving away from loved ones can lead to homesickness and persistent feelings of loneliness until you make new connections. Even after you’re settled in a new place, it can be difficult to know that you’re missing daily life with the people you love.
Thankfully, modern technology allows you to regularly keep up with loved ones, no matter how far away you are. Here are seven creative ways you can connect with loved ones around the world.
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FaceTime Often
FaceTime is an app that allows you to video chat with friends and family. It’s like a phone call, but better because you can see your loved one’s face, watch their expressions, and see where they are and what they’re doing.
Calling your loved ones to update them on life doesn’t have to be a big event. Try FaceTiming a family member for advice the next time you’re out shopping, or video call a friend to share a particularly beautiful sunset. Even calling loved ones just once or twice a week will strengthen your connection.
Work Out Together
You could also consider using Zoom or another video conferencing platform to work out with a loved one who lives far away. Because Zoom is designed for presentations, you can share the workout on your screen and still be able to see each other.
This is a great way to combine social time with another activity you’ve already planned into your day. The mood boost you gain from the workout will be even greater if you’re also spending that time with someone you love. Meeting over Zoom can also hold you accountable for your goals and help you start your day on the right foot.
Send Mail
Sending a physical object in the mail is another great way to connect with loved ones who live far away. Although text messages and phone calls are convenient, letters and packages are valuable because they take extra time and thought.
You can send gifts by mail for a special occasion like a birthday or holiday, or opt to surprise a loved one more randomly. Some people practice exchanging weekly letters about their daily life. Because many delivery services can be accessed online, you could send local food or flowers to a loved one.
Move Parties Online
You can also throw online parties with video streaming platforms like Zoom, WebX, and GoogleMeet. Although online parties are different from in-person gatherings, they can be a lot of fun and are a great way to connect people from many different locations.
Online parties are great for building rapport for remote companies. Employees can get to know each other with group games and relax together during virtual happy hour. An online party is also a great way for far-off friends to celebrate a birthday or share in life milestones like a friend getting pregnant or engaged.
Laugh on SM
If your loved ones use social media, you can bond on those platforms by sharing content that makes you laugh. There’s no better way to cheer up on a bad day than scrolling back through funny messages from someone you love. Although the person isn’t physically with you, you’re connecting with shared emotions.
Social media can help you stay in touch with loved ones, but it’s important not to spend too much time scrolling online. It may feel good at the time to check on what your friends are doing, but studies show that extended time on social media can actually increase feelings of isolation and loneliness.
Host Game Night
Hosting an online game night is another great option for seeing loved ones who are far away. There are many game-specific platforms you can use, or you can opt for a video-sharing platform like Zoom to connect. One option is to use a physical game board and have players dictate their moves through the video.
However, many games can be played fully online with slightly different rules. Examples include Werewolf, Mafia, and many board games. Video games and gaming platforms like Jackbox are expressly designed for online gaming and a great fit for bonding across distances.
Invest in Electronics
Gifting a loved one a friendship lamp is another sweet way to stay connected despite the distance. These partner lamps light up whenever one is touched, so you can know a loved one is thinking of you even from far away. There are many other electronic devices like watches and rings that also work to increase connection over distance.
Digital picture frames are another great option for keeping loved ones involved in your daily life. While some frames use memory cards, others read photos sent by email. Emailing pictures is an effortless way to keep family updated and share your life even if you’re far apart.
No More Goodbyes
By using technology to spend time with your loved ones, you can maintain a close connection even if you live far away. Communicating across distance definitely takes effort, but it’s well worth it to nurture relationships with those who mean so much to you.
Use these seven ideas to start connecting with family and friends today. Frequent, quality connections can reduce your loneliness and help you maintain healthy relationships with loved ones, regardless of distance.
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