For many of us, it gets harder to maintain friendships as we get older. At school, being friends can be as simple as going to the playground together. But in adulthood, careers or parenting can intervene, and old friends may just move away. If we don’t act, it’s easy to become isolated. The following tips will help nurture strong friendships:
- Spend 10 minutes a day on your friendships. You don’t have to be bonding intensely over a shared interest; a text or a quick call are great ways of keeping up with someone.
- Make the most of quality time. Try to avoid distractions and be present.
- Lean into vulnerability. You don’t have to share everything right away but opening up can help us connect.
Loneliness can be detrimental to our health. Research by Brigham Young University suggests that chronic loneliness is as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and this was all before COVID-19 made it harder for us to see our friends. When interviewed, people say the most important challenge to new friendships is a “lack of trust and a lack of time.” Scientists say it takes 50 hours to move from acquaintance to casual friend and 200 hours to become a close friend.
The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please join us on our next complimentary webinar or contact us.
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