Do you remember the last trip you had with your girlfriends that made all of you as happy as a camel on Wednesday (hump day)? Remember the time you were all gathered together, laughing like hyenas – annoying everyone in the restaurant but basking in the endorphins of hysterical laughter? The feeling of togetherness rushed through your body, similar to the feeling you get when you watch Dory reuniting with her family. You thought to yourself, “Wow, everyone is here – it doesn’t get any better than this.”
Now, all those good memories almost feel like fantasies. They are buried underneath all the paperwork and business projects piled on top of your desk. The life of a workaholic is often a choice, and one of the negatives is that perfect girl’s night out described above becomes a thing of the past.
In order to not lose your best friends to your job, here are five ways you can make time for your friends, even when you work 24/7.
Do you need to go grocery shopping and take your dog out for a stroll after work? Why not ask some of your friends if that’s on their to-do list for the day too? Invite them to do certain tasks with you. According to an article by TIME, doing things together is the part of friendship that makes us happiest. It allows people to grow together. You’ll be able to kill two birds with one stone – spending time with a loved one while marking things off your errands list.
Instead of planning dinner, find activities you and your friends have to pay for ahead of time. As stated by Corporette, it’s harder to postpone or cancel plans when you’ve already spent the money. If something unexpected comes up on the day of your get-together, you’ll be forced to move things around your schedule instead of easily texting the girls that you can’t make it. You and your gal pals will be more willing to work things around your planned, paid event because nobody likes wasting money.
Making time for friends doesn’t always mean you need to see them in person. When a huge work assignment or tedious project diminishes your free time, a simple appreciation text or Facebook message goes a long way. Writing this for your friends can also help relieve some of your anxiety because you’re reminded of the support group you have. It does the same for your friends who might feel that you’re forgetting about them. A love note can even make you more excited to see them, thus forcing you to work harder to get the job done quickly.
Did you know there are different programs that help you share schedules with your friends? You can create a calendar on Google docs and make it accessible to all the girls. This allows everyone to go in and write which days they are available, which makes it easier to plan ahead for a girl’s day.
Setting a goal that you and your friends have to work on together forces you all to make time for each other. This allows for a set, regular activity that you all feel has a purpose. This is also a fun way to try new things together. As stated in an article by Art of a Beautiful Life, you and your friends can prepare for a 5k run, hike, or a climb up a mountain. Whatever it is, you’ll be conquering something together.
Sure, your crazy work life may make you feel like a bartender serving a dozen screaming drunks at the same time, but there’s always a method to keep the party alive with your friends. If you don’t know how to balance your time, you’ll end up losing friendships – ones that add value to your life. As cited by Time, research shows that “in 1985, most people said they had three close friends. In 2004 the most common number was zero.” Don’t join the statistic.
