Tips to Help You Stay Social

For a lot of people, the workplace is a key area for socialization. When you work in close quarters with the same people every day and you start to form friendships. You celebrate birthdays and special occasions with your coworkers. You go out for lunch with them, have drinks after work, and possibly even hang out on evenings or weekends.

At the same time, work is where people talk about news and current events and what’s going on in the community. You share stories about your interests, talk about whatever’s happening in your area, and generally form bonds with each other.

When you retire, a lot of this stops. It’s often not because you were only friends because of work, but work was what held you together. It didn’t just put you in close proximity to other people, but it also gave you something in common that you could discuss and a place and time where you would meet every day. Retirement changes that. 

However, it doesn’t need to change everything. Here are some ways to stay socially relevant when you retire.

Just because you don’t have the same routines, it doesn’t mean you’ll need to stop having a social life. Social relevancy for retirees is totally possible. In fact, being social and maintaining friendships isn’t just enjoyable, it’s an important part of mental health. Numerous studies have shown the benefits of staying social and keeping friendships.

Maintaining a social life can help reduce stress, avoid depression, keep you mentally sharp, and even help you live longer.  To stay social, here are a few tips you can follow.

Join Groups or Clubs  

What are you interested in? No matter what it is, there are likely groups or clubs based around it. Check with local community centers, look for postings in local libraries, or search online to find groups that cater to your interests.  Whether it’s playing a sport, taking up a new hobby (or continuing an old one), or just socializing around a shared activity, there are a lot of options for people who want to make new friends. 

Volunteer

Volunteering isn’t just a great way to be social, but it’s an excellent way to give back to a cause that matters to you. This can greatly improve your sense of self and well-being. You’ll feel great about yourself at the end of the day and contribute to the betterment of society

Use Technology

You don’t need to focus entirely on new friends and leave the old crew behind. Use technology to stay in touch!  The great thing about modern technology is how easy it is to communicate with people no matter where you are. If you’re worried that your schedules won’t line up with your now-former co-workers, or if you’re moving away or traveling and still want to stay in touch, video calls, social media, and messaging apps make it easy. You can even use apps to set up virtual meet ups or in-person gatherings, so you won’t have to worry about missing out on personal connections.

Be Purposeful

When you were at work, maintaining friendships was quite easy. You saw the same people every day and you always knew exactly where and when you’d see them. You always had something to talk about because work connected you. Once that’s gone, you’ll need to be more purposeful about maintaining your relationships.

You’ll have to go out of your way to stay in touch. Send regular emails and messages and make time for one another. If someone you want to stay in touch with reaches out, take the time and effort needed to respond thoughtfully. You’ll need to work at it, but maintaining these friendships is certainly possible.

You’ll probably need new things to talk about, however. While you were working, it was easy to talk about the job. Now that you’re retired, you’ll need to find new common ground. Think about other things you have in common and keep the conversation to those areas. If you go out with a bunch of people you used to work with, and they’re all still working, you may feel left out of the “shop talk,” so try to discuss other things instead. 

Be Selective

The reality is you probably won’t have time to stay in touch with absolutely everyone from work. That’s an unfortunate reality. Think about which former co-workers mean the most to you and put in a conscious effort to maintain those relationships. 

You don’t want to burn yourself out trying to make and maintain friendships, but you don’t want to spend all your time alone either. When you’re retired, it’s all about creating and keeping a healthy balance. With a little planning and effort, social relevancy for retirees doesn’t have to be an unattainable myth, it can be your reality.