Coming together with others is one of life's most rewarding parts. Whether with family members, friends, or coworkers, getting together creates a sense of unity and connection. Humans are programmed to want these connections to remain sustainable and secure. The key is learning how to connect without inhibiting the natural progress of your friendships. Here are some tips and tricks to help you bring your busy friends together.
1. Plan a Party
Party planning is a great way to connect with busy people. When stressed and overworked, throwing a party seems like your last priority. However, taking on the task of organizing a party can be very beneficial for your friendships. First, it forces you to clear your schedule so you're not busy on the day of the event (that's not very fun for guests). It takes time to prepare for and host, meaning less time thinking about something else. You'll likely need help with the planning and organization, which will create a good opportunity for some of your busy friends to help out. It may feel like you have a lot on your plate with work and school, but this is one way to spend some time with friends without feeling like you're over-extending yourself.
2. Use Social Media
Social media offers many useful tools to help you plan events. First of all, you can easily distribute invites to your busy friends. They'll get a push notification if they have an event invitation app on their phone. Otherwise, it's simple to send invites through email or text. You can also send out RSVPs through social media (text and Facebook messages are the best).
When your guests respond to your event invite, ask them if they'd be willing to bring a friend along. If you're working with a large group (8+ people), encouraging your friends to bring their other friends is not a bad idea.
You can also use social media to find other busy people in the area that you want to connect with. When planning your event, look up events that are close by, one that you would like to attend, and see if any friends or coworkers will be there. You never know who will show up.
3. Play Games Together
Playing games is another way to connect and get to know new people. Whether you're playing board games, card games, or video games, it's a good idea to play with people you don't meet often. Many busy people would love to have a one-on-one policy with other friends. However, when you only spend time with your friends from work and school, that's not much time for connecting on many levels. Playing games is an excellent way to break into new social circles.
For instance, a custom scrabble board game is an excellent choice because it's easy to learn and fun to play. You can also invite people over to play games from your favorite video game. This will help you connect with other gamers as well.
4. Join a Club
Joining a club or social organization is another way for busy people to meet up at least once a month. It forces you to carve out time in the middle of your busy schedule for socializing and networking with others. If you're an organization type, joining a club is great for the opportunities it presents.
You can also use your position to encourage others to do so. For instance, if you work at a school or in sales, make sure you encourage more people to join. One of your busy friends may be interested in joining, and they'll appreciate the extra help! It's also a great way to connect with local people and culture.
5. Host a Potluck
Hosting a potluck is an excellent way for busy friends to connect and get to know each other better. You can host one at your house or ask if someone else would be willing to host the event. If you choose the latter, give them some incentive for hosting.
It's also a great idea to invite people from a wide range of relationships (coworkers, classmates, friends, and family). This will allow you to get to know everyone and break down the inhibitions that come along with shyness.
Conclusion
There are many ways to bring your busy friends together. They may seem difficult initially, but taking these steps will help bring them together for fun experiences and lasting relationships. You can host a party in your house or another location, play games with them or even use social media to find people who can help you out.