I’ve been struggling with something lately. Let me know if I’m not alone…….
We are all busy, right? 40 hour plus work weeks, a significant other, spouse or partner that you NEED quality time with. Friends. Hobbies. SLEEP.
But what about time for staying connected with family and friends far away?
We ALL get this. We’ve moved away from our homes where we grew up. Maybe we have deeply involved ourselves with an education. Or we’ve undertaken challenging and demanding careers. Or maybe we just live 5 minutes down the road but cannot find the time to “stop by” for a little while.
And here’s the problem: WE LOVE OUR FAMILIES! And it’s difficult to be away from them! We WANT to be around them and to share in each other’s lives. But how?
Additionally, we struggle with the hassles of increased distance and different time zones. Living in Alaska, it is SO difficult and costly to visit our hometowns. And the 4 hour time difference makes it even more challenging. By the time we are back at home at the end of the workday, it is already 9-10 pm on the East Coast.
So Abigail and I have listed a few of our go-to’s in staying connected with our families and friends even though we are over 4,000 miles away and 4 hours behind our loved ones:
Don’t be afraid to have the 5-minute phone call.
When we call our families, often we feel like we need to take a large amount of time to invest in a conversation. So then we end up not calling because we know we will not have enough time. Don’t do this! A short phone call to mom or dad, to tell them you love them and about what you are doing that day, is so much better than no phone call at all. And trust me, the family will understand when you have to get back to work.
routine. schedule.
Abigail is all about routine- setting up a day/time that you call so-and-so each week, relieves the pressure of the “long conversation.” example- “Call sally on Sundays at 12.” keeps you in touch, shorter, sweeter, and routine. This is great for everyone.
Family/friends group texts and emails.
These are always ALOT of fun and a super simple way to stay connected. Try sending a group text to your whole family with a funny video or photo and see what happens. Everyone will begin to start texting back and laughing with each other. It’s also a great way to share about what’s going on in your life with EVERYONE AT ONCE.
Posting on Social Media.
When you find the time, posting a picture, video, caption, or story to your Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or blog (hint, hint), is a great way for your family and your friends to get a snapshot of your life. Though it is for the more tech savvy individuals in the family, it is another great way to share your life with everyone at the same time.
Don’t get me wrong. A good long phone call or Skype session once in a while is definitely needed to stay in touch with your loved ones back home. But in the meantime, these simple ways to connect have made the space in between closer.
Planning your next meet-up.
When you have something to plan, you have something to get excited about and look forward to, and to… talk about! It’s amazing how often we carve out time to talk to each other when we are planning our trip to Alaska, Charleston, New York or Seattle- to eat the world’s greatest doughnuts. These are important decisions, they need to be made wisely, and with careful thought.
As always, thanks for reading. And we love your thoughts!
-Jason
Twice Dutch 