How To Stay Connected From A Distance

This post is all about finding creative ways to stay connected while we’re apart. I’ve been planning to write this post for awhile, and because of quarantine and social distancing, now seems more perfect than ever.

I’m sure everyone is aware that these are very unusual times everywhere. In case you’re interested in what’s going on in my corner of the world: I’ve been home since March 5 at my doctor’s advice to protect myself from COVID-19. On March 16, Americans were asked to stay home as much as possible to flatten the curve (all schools in Washington were officially closed that day as well), and March 23 the Washington state governor issued a stay-at-home order.

To everyone who is taking this seriously and protecting those of us with weakened immune systems: THANK YOU. We can do this, and I have some tips.

If there is one good thing in the midst of all this, it’s that people are realizing how challenging it can be to stay connected when you can’t leave your home. As I shared in a Facebook post, oddly enough, I’ve been able to be more social recently because people are free to talk to on the phone and join video calls.

Chronic illness is super isolating, and the chronic illness community has a lot of advice for everyone experiencing this challenge. (For more on what this looks like in day to day life for people with chronic illness, I recommend this article from The Mighty.)

This post is for everyone experiencing this temporary change due to quarantine and social distancing, as well as though of us who are chronically ill and have had to adapt long-term.

This post contains affiliate links.

Before I get into tips for staying connected: I’ve had some friends ask what I’ve found helpful while being at home most of the time due to being chronically ill. I’ve come up with a short list of tips based on my experience.

A quick note on these tips: I’ve had over 3 years to come up with strategies to cope with isolation. Don’t feel bad if you’re “still” struggling. To some degree, I’ve had to deal with this my whole life, varying depending on the season. And I still go through times where this is much harder than usual. You’re on a learning curve, so have grace with yourself.

Here are my top five ways to combat isolation:

1.  Press into Jesus (Read your Bible and pray, especially when you don’t “feel it.” This is the #1 reason I’m still able to keep smiling, my friends!)

2.  Adapt your calling (Having a way to have a positive impact has helped me to feel like I’m still living out my purpose. For me, blogging has been a big part of this, but this could look different for everyone.)

3.  Take intentional rest (Some types of rest are more helpful than others. I really appreciate this post from Ransomed Heart about choosing rest that feeds your soul.)

4.  Make time to laugh (I have a whole post of ideas for adding more laughter to your life.)

5.  Stay connected (Which I’ll talk about here!)

So let’s dive into practical tips for keeping in touch.

 

How to Stay Connected When You Can’t Leave Your Home

These are a mix of ideas for how I’ve stayed in touch with friends, plus random ideas I think would be fun for long distance get-togethers.

Do Something Apart “Together”

Watch a movie “together”—When one of my friends moved to Texas, we came up with a way for us to go to the movies together. We each went to a theater to see the same movie at almost the exact same time, so we could text each other before the film started, and then talk about later. It really did feel like we got to go on an outing together. You could both do something similar from home.

Watch a TV show “together”—This one is almost exactly like the last idea, but it’s especially fun if you can do this while a show is airing. A friend and I watched a season finale this way, texting each other on the commercial breaks about what surprised us the most, what made us laugh, and what we thought might happen next.

Bake “together”—I think it would be fun to bake the same thing as someone else, and then share pictures or video chat afterwards so you can each see how your desserts turned out. This would also be a fun way to share a meal together. Or you can each make a cup of tea and then sit down to talk via a video call. I’ve done this with friends, and it gives the conversation more of a cozy coffee shop vibe.

Chat Online or the Phone

This one probably seems obvious, but you may run into the question of: What exactly should we chat about? Especially if you don’t feel like you’ve done much lately, it helps to set up a topic the way you would set up a club or meeting. For instance…

Bible study—You can all share from the same specific book or devotional, or everyone can share what they’re reading and learning on their own lately. As I shared in a previous post, online Bible study has been one of the things I’m doing for my health lately.

Book discussion—Again, this can be a meetup to discuss the same book, or everyone can share their favorite recent reads.

Prayer meeting—Ask everyone to brainstorm beforehand and write down prayer requests for you, your friends and family, and anything going on in the world that’s on your heart. Have everyone share their requests and then pray together.

Share goals—I sent a photo of my goal lists to friends as a way to keep me accountable. List and share your personal and professional goals so you can encourage each other. Bounce ideas off each other if you need help deciding on the steps that will help you work towards them. You can also set reading goals together (here are mine for 2020).

Share favorite recommendations—Ask friends for all their recent favorites: podcasts, apps, musicals, blogs! Discuss them after.

Throw a Game Night or Hobby Night

With a little ingenuity, you can find ways to make games and other activities work even over a distance.

Play parlor games—Try playing charades or a variation called Fish Bowl (which is one of my favorites.)

Set up board games—I just played a hilarious, long-distance game of Pictionary with my family. It took a little adapting, but it worked well. All you need is one game board, and everyone else on the call just needs pen and paper. Trivia games would also work well, as would a game like Scattergories. Get creative!

Throw a virtual escape room–Here’s how I threw a themed virtual party.

Try coloring “contests”—One of my closest friends served as a missionary for close to a year in India, so we found creative ways to keep in touch. Another friend and I turned photos into coloring pages, and we all colored them apart, then shared them with each other. Much hilarity ensued, especially since we added mustaches and other silly accessories to the “photos.” (If anyone knows of a website where you can still do this for free, share in the comments!) You can all color the same page and see how differently they turn out. You can also try altering coloring book pages. (I’ve done this and it’s such a fun way to be creative!)

Craft together while you talk—A friend recommended we do this, and we haven’t tried it yet, but plan to. She’ll probably make jewelry, and I’ll do whatever random craft I’m working on at the moment. For instance, I really want to learn embroidery

Other Ideas

Share photos of what you’re working on—I love getting a text showing me what a friend has been making. I like when my friends appreciate seeing the cards I designed or a “ta-da moment” like when I get a space organized.

Cosplay or DisneyBound and share photos—I’ve almost done this with a few friends, but I keep forgetting to give them a warning and spring it on them. Note: give your friends some time to plan an outfit! In the future, I’d like to do this for a random video catch-up. You can be as elaborate or chill about your outfit depending on your energy.

Be pen pals—Good old fashioned snail mail is still a wonderful surprise. I have some free stationary here.

And there are my ideas!

If you’re looking for more resources while you’re stuck at home, Olivia at Unpolished Ponderings shares about isolation in an honest and hopeful way. Also, this post from Jo of My Med Musings is about practicing gratitude by thinking of your home as your sanctuary. Viewing my home as a sanctuary has definitely been one vital part of helping me cope.

Also, chronic illness bloggers have a wealth of information about what to do at home, coping with isolation, and how to staying connected. I highly recommend you follow Chronic Illness Bloggers on Facebook.

I hope these ideas inspire great conversations and memories.

Sending long-distance love to you all!

What do you do to stay connected? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments.

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You may also like:
How to Throw a Fun and Interactive Virtual Escape Room
How to Stay Connected from a Distance HOLIDAY EDITION

 

Note: This blog post is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. I am not a health care provider, and what I share is based on my personal experiences.  Always talk to your doctor when making changes to your treatment or before trying something new.