BFFs & Adulting: How To Stay Connected When Working 9-to-5

Calling all boss ladies out there! Having a fulfilling day at work is always fun and good, but you all deserve to show your social lives some TLC too. Of course, staying in touch with all the people you love when working 9-to-5 is easier said than done, as weekends that are too packed tend to make for overly tiring Mondays when you’re back in the office.

So how do you show all your ride-or-dies that you’re still there for another, even when working full-time? We’ll be sharing all our favourite tips and tricks for staying connected when working 9-to-5 below, so read on to help bring some sparkle back to your social life.

Show her you’re thinking of her with a gift

One of the best ways of showing a girlfriend that you’re still thinking of her even during your busier weeks is to send her a little something that’ll be sure to make her smile. Finding the perfect gifts for her will show her that you’re still in the loop with her own tastes and interests, whether you decide to send her a coin purse that she’s had her eye on for some time, or even a bouquet of her favourite flowers.

If you’re at a loss as to what you could send her, then why not have a little sandwich, croissant, or her coffee order delivered to her own office space? A surprise delivery could easily brighten her day, as well as ensure that you feel connected even during work hours! A food order may also be highly appreciated if she’s having a particularly busy day, and may not have the mental space to prioritise her own needs. The daily grind stops for nobody, after all.

Have weekly morning coffee or evening gym dates

Any seasoned 9-to-5er is likely to value their down time a fair bit. After all, there are only so many hours in the day, and spending 8 of those shackled to a desk can be surprisingly tiring! If you don’t have the time or even the energy to fit social dates into your already jam-packed schedule, then we highly recommend integrating your social dates into your personal appointments wherever possible.

For instance, if you plan on going to the gym three or so weekday evenings out of the week, then your girlfriend could come with you, so that your social time could also be a shared heart-healthy fitness class. Exercising with a friend isn’t just a guaranteed way of ensuring that you can stay in touch even with your busy schedule, but it may also work as a superb motivator that’ll help you maintain healthy habits. Having someone share your weekly wellness appointments with you can help you both feel a sense of solidarity with one another, and ensure that you both hold each other accountable for sticking to your shared routine.

That being said, sharing a workout routine with your bestie isn’t for everyone. After all, what are the chances that you even enjoy the same kinds of classes? If you give off more of a yoga vibe and your girlfriend aligns herself more with MMA, then you could decide to catch up post-gym for a kale shot or perhaps even before work for an early morning coffee date. Even if you don’t have too much time, carving out a little slice of your day to spend with your BFF can make a world of difference for both of you.

Schedule time for phone calls or video chats

If you and your friend don’t share a local gym or coffee shop, then you may still opt to make time for each other in your respective days by allocating time in your schedule to have a quick phone call or even a video chat with your bestie. You can schedule a call at any time that works for both of you, whether it’s during your morning or evening commute, or maybe even during your nightly winddown routine.

There’s nothing better than having a little company as you’re applying a face mask or treating your hair, especially if your bestie is following her own beauty routine right alongside you. Chances are you may have started doing this when practicing your lockdown beauty routine as a means of staying in touch on a daily basis, but there’s no reason why you shouldn’t maintain this solid social appointment idea once you’re both back at the office!

Make life update PowerPoints for one another

A cute trend that we’ve been seeing all over the place lately (especially so now that we’re post-pandemic) is best friends coming prepared to long-awaited reunions with some thorough PowerPoint presentations designed to update their besties on their lives. This is a great way of ensuring that you cover all bases when you finally do get to catch up again, and don’t forget to pick up conversational threads that may have been interrupted by the sheer excitement of seeing one another after so long.

It’s worth noting, however, that this PowerPoint idea can be taken a step further than just a means of providing life updates. Many have embraced this age-old art form in order to shape get-togethers with larger groups of people (otherwise known as ‘PowerPoint parties!’)

Plan a trip together!

Finally, if you’re feeling particularly deprived of your best friend and may want an extra dose of her healing energy to get you through the rest of the financial year, then why not plan a weekend trip (or perhaps something even a little longer) for the two of you? Travelling with a friend can be a fantastic way of strengthening your connection, both by creating shared memories as well as by forcing you both to rely on one another in a new and exciting location.

Your trip can be as large or small as you like, and can potentially even involve a few bucket list-worthy activities or experiences that you’d both love to do together, like skydiving or horseback riding!

Finding the perfect ways to nurture both your most meaningful connections (including your connection to yourself) may take a little trial and error, and that’s okay! Just be sure to keep in mind that your social life – like your career – is a marathon, not a sprint. You should give yourself time to settle into new additions to your schedule, as overbooking yourself socially can cause burnout just as much as working too hard can. After all, the people you love and care about generally feel the same way about you, and so they’ll do what they can to ensure that you’re not the only one working hard to stay connected. It’s all about give and take!