Why and How to Make Time for Friends

It seems that of the two species, females are the ones that need more social contact. It is not good for a woman to isolate herself because loneliness may set in and then this could very well lead to depression. It is very important for a woman to maintain her friendships while raising a family so that she can stay in contact with the outside world. It may be even more important to strengthen those friendships as the children grow older and leave the nest.

In order to survive, best friends need one-on-one contact. Calling friends on the telephone and getting together are essential for best friends to continue. At times it may seem very hard to maintain friendships when you have such a busy schedule. However, you do not need to take hours out of your busy day in order to maintain a friendship.

Here is a list of some suggestions that could be put into practice to maintain friendships:

1. Make it a habit to send frequent e-mails. This is great for getting a quick note off to your friend.

2. Call at least once a week. It does not take long to make a quick call to let your friend know that you are thinking about her. It is a great way to catch up on things that are relevant in both of your lives.

3. You can always keep in touch by simple and brief messages that are left on answering machines.

4. Send an occasional card. It can be humorous or a friendship card. It only takes a few minutes to choose an appropriate card and stick it in the mail.

5. Exercise together. All of us need to exercise. It is much more fun to do it with a friend. There is nothing better than to talk while taking a walk in the park.

6. Clean house together. Houses must be cleaned and it seems like such a chore to do it alone. Two makes the cleaning fun and it goes much faster.

7. Send pictures. Now that we are living in the age of computers, this is very easy to do through e-mail. One picture is worth a thousand words.

8. Go to lunch at least once a month. My good friend and I make it a habit to go to breakfast once a week where we can discuss the different events that are going on in our lives and in the lives of our family members.

Friendships between women require flexibility and maintenance. Here is some more advice as to how to maintain friendships.

1. Be a good listener. Sometimes just lending a listening ear is all that your friend needs to feel better about a choice she has made.

2. Always be respectful of your friend’s point of view. You may not always see eye to eye, but then you have to realize that each personality is different.

3. Do not, under any circumstances, betray a trust. If a trust is violated it can ruin a friendship.

4. Give praise and support to your friends. Make it a habit to ignore their imperfections and failures.

5. Do not be envious of a friend’s success, but always strive to admire her achievements.

Remember that we were made to be social beings and not hermits. Having a certain amount of friendships in your life is extremely important for your mental well-being. When paths begin to separate for one reason or another, then it is very important to stay in touch with your friends.