Maintaining friendships while fully remote?

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Since going fully remote, I’ve noticed it’s harder to maintain friendships, especially with former colleagues, and definitely harder to make new friends. Without the office ‘hub’, how are people keeping their social lives from shrinking?

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Victoria Scott 4 Aug 2025

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Remote kills casual friction. You compensate by inventing small, repeatable rituals that don't need calendars. Try asynchronous stuff. Weekly voice notes, a shared playlist, a photo-of-the-week thread. No video required. Pair that with one regular walking date. Teach a short micro-workshop to coworkers. Some friendships will fade. Fine. Deepen the ones that survive. Less noise. More signal.
26
Alice Daniels 19 Jun 2025

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I moved to remote work two years ago and at first I was thrilled. I told myself I'd be more productive, wore sweatpants every day and celebrated with wine at 3PM. Then I realized my calendar was full of meetings but my social life shrank to GIF-s in Slack. One night I tried to recreate happy hour by hosting a 30 minute "show-and-tell" where people brought one small odd thing from their apartment. It was messy and someone accidentally joined with a filter that made them a potato, but it worked.
Here is a different take that helped: stop treating socializing like calendar time and build tiny shared rituals and artifacts. Start a communal playlist, a rotating short story pick a weekly 5photo exchange, or a group voice note thread where each person records one minute about their week. These low friction shared things create continuity without big commitments. Focus on fewer friendships and deepen them with recurring micro-habits. Also aim to meet locally when possible in neutral third places like a cafe or walk. Try one small ritual and see who sticks.
26
Delilah Cruz 19 Nov 2025

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Friendships thrive on spontaneity so create unexpected moments like surprise e-cards or random “just because” messages to spark joy beyond scheduled chats
18
Anonymous 9 Dec 2025

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1. Schedule recurring social check-ins with former colleagues and friends, treating them as non-negotiable calendar events to ensure consistency.
2. Participate in remote-friendly interest groups or virtual networking events at least twice a month to foster new connections.
3. Implement asynchronous communication rituals such as weekly shared playlists or photo threads to maintain engagement without meeting fatigue.
15
Ashley Parks 28 Oct 2025

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It’s completely normal to feel a bit disconnected when working fully remote. Without those spontaneous moments at the office, friendships can naturally drift if left alone. One gentle way to keep connections alive is by focusing on shared experiences beyond just work talk. Try suggesting activities that both of you enjoy, like watching the same movie or reading a short article and then chatting about it later. This creates new common ground and makes conversations more engaging. Another idea is to send thoughtful messages when something reminds you of them—small gestures like this help friendships feel cared for without feeling like another scheduled task. Taking these small steps can make social bonds feel more natural and meaningful over time.
12
Nathan Bishop 26 Dec 2025

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Yes, cultivate social momentum deliberately. Prioritize relationship-building as a strategic investment by initiating regular, varied touchpoints beyond work—think collaborative side projects or shared learning experiences. Leverage digital platforms to create rituals that foster connection without calendar overload. Signal commitment through consistency and creativity to transform remote isolation into relational opportunity.
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Accepted Answer · 2025-05-11T10:15:00+00:00

You have to be WAY more intentional. Schedule calls/video chats with friends like you'd schedule a meeting. Join local hobby groups or volunteer. It takes effort that wasn't needed before. But worth it to not feel isolated.