If you compare virtual work friends vs. real friends, the real ones are always better because you interact with them better. Planning an in-person meetup with your remote team can help you make real friends. You often leave this idea behind when you work remotely, and it creates a communication gap.

Before you move, take the time to ask many friends and colleagues if they know anyone worth meeting in your new city. Even if each person can only think of one, you’ll still walk away with a good list of potential contacts. Many of us have taken the brave step of moving to a new city and are confused as to how to make friends. To make finding friends in a new city more seamless, start the work of making friends before you get to your new city.

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You might be tired of the virtual coffee sessions every week, so take this meetup as an opportunity and go to some café to have some coffee with your colleagues. If your online team is planning a virtual coffee session or cocktail, you should better not miss it. Offices often organize virtual meetups for remote teams to improve their communication skills. You can avail the full benefit of such events by not missing them.

• Friendship makes work so much more enjoyable and meaningful.
• Recently, a friend of mine moved to a new town and saw that the local brewery had yoga.
• A better option is to participate in a “shared activity,” an event where there is a bigger objective at hand and achieving that objective requires interdependence.
• About 10 years ago, Servo and her husband moved to Louisville from Seattle.

If you have been a victim of it, you must have thought about how to make friends when you work from home. Organizing a playdate can be simple and low stakes, like meeting at a park or a playground. “If you’re worried about feeling awkward with someone new or running out of things to talk about, get a few families together,” https://remotemode.net/blog/tips-on-how-to-make-friends-when-you-work-from-home/ says Lin. As for whom to invite, be resourceful and ask neighbors with kids or families you have met at a local playground. For my own family, following my school-age child’s lead and exchanging parent contact information with friends he wants to get together with from school or activities has been successful.

Join a book club

If you draw a comparison of work friends vs. real friends, they are not your informal buddies with whom you usually joke around. However, a friendly relationship with them is vital to perform better while working from home. There are naturally activities that you’ll enjoy more than others, and this is likely where your tribe exists. In your efforts to get out of the house, try to invest in activities that you’ll truly relish.

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Make room for family friendships beyond the kids

“Coffee shops can be great hubs for generalized information about local groups,” Wiercyski says. You’ll never know what might pique your interest — these flyers advertise things like interest-based meet up groups, local events, clubs and organizations. You might find out about some virtual meet ups that will feel even less intimidating to go to. “I knew I was going to be lonely, but moving to a new place with no friends is hard. Nobody talks about how making friends as an adult is so awkward,” she tells Bustle. It’s important to go out on your own and explore what the city has to offer (e.g., local attractions and niche events).

Your coworkers just might become your new friend group. Arrange virtual coffees or happy hours to connect with people. Luckily, even if you’re far away, you can still rely on your existing friends for support. “Getting connected with people who are already connected to your social circle is a great way to plug into the social fabric of a new place.” If you practice the above, you’ll likely be meeting a lot of new people.