At the present time, we might find that we miss the opportunity to meet up with our friends and socialise.  Living closely with our family can also be hard work from day to day especially when we are all at home so much of the time.  In these circumstances it is important to maintain positive relationships and to try and keep in touch with people from outside of the home. 

Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can:

  • help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth
  • give you an opportunity to share positive experiences
  • provide emotional support and allow you to support others

There are lots of things you could try to help build stronger and closer relationships:

Do

  • if possible, take time each day to be with your family, for example, try arranging a fixed time to eat dinner together
  • arrange a Zoom call or Facetime with friends you have not seen for a while
  • try switching off the TV or putting devices away to talk or play a game with your family
  • Get in touch with a friend or family member who needs support or company.  Maybe send a letter or a card through the post – this can really mean a lot,  write an email or call them on the telephone
  • make the most of technology to stay in touch with friends and family. Video-chat apps like Zoom and FaceTime are useful, especially now you can’t visit due to the Lockdown.  Plan to do some fun activities during your call.
  • Join a local online community group to keep in touch with what is going on in your area.

Don’t

  • do not rely on technology or social media alone to build relationships. It’s easy to get into the habit of only ever texting, messaging or emailing people. Remember to interact with the people in your home.  Wave and say hello to a neighbour as you go for your daily exercise.

How to make Zoom calls fun

Zoom and Facetime are great ways to get in touch with groups of family and friends but really helps to have a focus for your call.  Planning a theme or fun activity can help to raise your mood and give you something to look forward to over the week.  Here are some ideas for things to do when you Zoom:

  • Plan a quiz. You could nominate a quiz master or each create 10 questions for a round each.
  • Disco – nominate a track and get one of your group to create a shared playlist and watch each other dance around your living room. This is great way to let of steam and get moving.
  • Do something creative, maybe create some art, music or poetry on a given theme.
  • Have a Bake-off competition. Keep it simple, bake some cupcakes in advance and have fun decorating them during your call.
  • Comedy night – get each of your friends to share their best jokes and vote for the best joke of the night.
  • Have a dance off: Practice a routine during the week and share your dance during your call, then vote for the winner.
  • Hold a talent competition or open mic night – learn how to juggle and wow your friends!
  • Play Pictionary – In Zoom you can share your ‘whiteboard’. Use a random word generator on a separate device and play Pictionary.  The person who draws the most items in a given time, that are guessed correctly, wins.
  • Dig out the Lego –and have a Lego building competition- even the grown-ups love this one!

These are just a few ideas to get you started.