5 Ways to Stay "Social" While Social Distancing

A month ago, I had never heard of the term “social distancing.” Now, it’s a way of life.

I’m spending most of my days cooped up in my house. I’m lucky, because I’m here with my beautiful wife and four wonderful kids. They’re great, and they help make sure I’m not lonely. That being said, I do miss having some social interaction with other people. I miss being able to talk face to face with others. I miss seeing the interactions between my daughter and her friendly teachers as I drop her off at preschool. Heck, I even miss that annoying person in front of me at the express checkout lane who clearly has more than 25 items in her cart!

But, there are still ways we can be social in the times of social distancing. Here are a few ideas:

1--Wave at people. On those rare times when I get out of the house, I’m extra appreciative when I see one of my neighbors. I’ll excitedly wave at them. And usually, they’ll wave back or give me a big smile. It’s just so nice to see other people!

2--When you get a chance to talk to people, do so. If you see your neighbor outside on their porch, or someone out walking in the neighborhood, step outside and say hello to them. It’s okay to talk to people, as long as you maintain some distance.

3--Call people on the phone. It’s easy to forget that we’re all in this together. Call your friends. Call your family. Call your neighbors. Call people you haven’t talked to in years. It may not be physical contact, but it can really be great to hear someone else’s voice.

4--Video chat. There are a number of apps that enable you to video chat with someone. There’s Facetime, Zoom, Marco Polo, Skype, Google Hangouts, and many others. It’s like we’re living in the time of “The Jetsons.” Phone calls are great, but sometimes it’s even better if you can see people’s facial reactions. It’s hard to see someone roll their eyes over the phone. (Just be sure there’s no one walking around in their underwear in the background of your video chat.)

Just make sure you don't become a screen zombie.

5--Write to people. You can send texts, or emails to let people know you’re thinking about them. Heck, you can even write a good, old-fashioned letter and send it in the mail. Wouldn’t it be great to go to the mailbox and be surprised by getting a letter from someone?

These are tough times, but there are still ways we can get through it together. We don’t have to be alone while we’re social distancing.  



This post first appeared as an article in the April 2020 issue of the ServeDaily newspaper.