What About Your Friends? 10 Tips to Maintaining Friendships as a Busy Working Mom

I’m sure many of you, like me, live a busy life each and every day. When you have a life like that, it’s hard enough to find time for yourself let alone try to find time for friends too. However, no matter how busy you are, it is very important to remember that you have to find time for both yourself and your friends.

Friends can help you deal with stressful situations by providing advice or simply by being a sounding board and listen to you as you vent your frustrations. Friends are also important because they help you relax and laugh. The Bible says that a merry heart works just like medicine (Proverbs 17:22), so what better way to find healing mentally, physically, or emotionally than by laughing with your friends?

You may be saying all of this sounds wonderful,  but where am I supposed to find the time?

I wish there was a quick and simple answer for you, but the reality is that we make time for the things and people that are most important to us. If your friendships are important to you, then you will find time for them.

Listed below are 10 ways to help you keep in touch with your friends despite your busy schedule.

1. Check in. Take the time to send a quick text or email simply to say “Hi”. Your email does not have to be long or elaborate, it can simply be a note to let your friend know that you’re thinking about her and that you hope everything is going well.
2. Be Social with social media. Use social media such as Facebook, Group Me, Marco Polo or any others to keep in contact with your friends. I use Facebook Messenger to keep in touch with many of my friends. A few of us even have a group chat to talk throughout the day.
3. Use Snail Mail. Send them a letter or a card. Don’t wait for a special occasion, simply drop a note in the mail just to say that they are on your mind. You never know what a difference that may mean to them.
4.  Spend quality time. Set aside time for a Girl’s Night Out either monthly or every other month. You can pick a new restaurant or an activity like pottery painting.  If the budgets don’t allow for going out, just get together at somebody’s house, sit back,  share stories, laugh and have fun.
5. Support them. Remember to invest in your friends by showing support of their business.  This may mean that you attend one of their events, purchase their product, or it could simply mean that you share what they are doing with others that would be interested in becoming a customer/client.
6. Be intentional. Use your calendar to set reminders or write things down to help you remember to plan activities, send cards or to send a text message to your friends.
7. Think outside the box. If you don’t live in the same city or state with your friend have a virtual Girls Night Out. Since moving to a new state, I have had a virtual girl’s night out with one of my friends back in Ohio. She and I picked a date and a time and use social media chats to kick back, relax and have some fun that evening.
8. Be open and honest. When you don’t get to see someone as often as you used to or as often as you would like you to have to remember to keep the lines of communication open. That means that you need to let your friend know if she is not doing something to show herself friendly and you should make sure that you are being a good friend as well. Don’t be afraid to speak up and be honest with her, but always assume the best, give grace and give your friend a chance to address your concerns.
9. Be there for them. If a crisis comes up or something major is going on in their life, do what you can to either be there for them physically or to make sure that you are reaching out to them to show your support. While your schedule or miles may separate you, that should not keep the two of you from being there for each other during times of need.
10. Pray for them. If you don’t get anything else from this list make sure that you commit to this one. While you may not always be able to be there physically and sometimes you may not be able to reach out to them via phone or text, the one who will never leave them is our Father God. So, take the time to keep your friends in your prayers. Pray for their work environment, pray for their families, pray for their peace of mind, and pray that God meets their needs and their hearts desires.

I have a small circle of friends that I hold near and dear to my heart.  Since I moved from Ohio to NC four months ago, it is even harder to see them now than it was when I was simply battling a busy schedule.  It has been very important for me to maintain the close relationships that I have with these women, so I have been very intentional about applying some of the steps that I’ve listed above.  In 2019, I will make even more of an effort to ensure I am doing all that I can to be a great friend to these women because they are great friends to me.  I hope you will do the same!

How do you maintain your friendships while also balancing work and family? Share you tips in the comments section.