The benefits of socialising
The benefits of socialising are endless:
- Reduces loneliness/ isolation
- Promotes relaxation
- Boosts confidence
- It provides a way to share activities together
- Allows opportunities to make friends
- A chance to learn a new skill, perhaps in a group/ on a course
- If it involves exercise, this releases happy hormones
- It improves brain development, function and cognition
- It may prevent risk factors to dementia.
Due to the challenges of Covid-19, we have found ways to adapt and socialise differently. Nowadays, there are various ways to connect: in person, over the phone, video call/ Facetime and Zoom are just a few. Therefore, we can be more flexible and socialise even without leaving home!
Different ways to come together
Whatever our budget, there is plenty we can do:
- Cooking: take turns at each other’s homes
- Plan a walk every week
- Picnic in the park
- Organise a group video call/ Zoom
- Celebrate a special occasion with a party
- Kids’ playdate with other families
- Crafts with friends using recycled household items
- Knitting/ crochet group
- Prayer/meditation meeting
- Book club / reading meaningful texts
Why not make your own list of activities you’d like to try, places to go with friends, or where you might meet new people?
If you know that going out to socialise is something you find difficult, keep it simple and realistic for something that you can manage, for example, phone/ video call a friend or take a walk in the park and try saying hello to neighbours and familiar faces like shop keepers/ library staff etc. If you turn these occasions into a routine, this may help to build yourself up to venture out and try more things. You’ll be glad to have made a connection.
Happy Socialising!
