There is a lot about life that has changed since the
pandemic came along; our patterns of going out, our mode of study or work, our
notions of health and public safety, and crucially, the way we interact with
people around us. Covid-19 has made us rethink how we do the simple things that
we used to take for granted. Whether we wanted it or not, everything has
changed.

Friendships are not immune to the effects of Covid-19. They
have been affected much like various species in evolution: either they adapt to
the changing circumstances or they dwindle out. Pandemic or not, friendships
play a vital role in our lives:

• Strong friendships are shown to play an active role in
  coping with stress effectively and may actually prevent certain kinds of stress
  
• They provide emotional support by active listening,
  validating your emotions, empathizing, or simply spending time with you
• They give you a feeling of being understood and provide a
  much-needed sense of belonging and purpose
• They improve your self-confidence and self-worth
• They help you cope with difficult life challenges such as
  separations, illness, family problems, or the death of a loved one
• They can help you build long-lasting habits and healthier
  lifestyles
• They boost your happiness levels and enhance a general sense
  of wellbeing

As many of us spend a great deal of our day at work, our
work friendships matter a great deal as well: they increase our level of job
satisfaction, reduce workplace stress, increase the trust quotient in the
workplace, contribute to better teamwork, stronger communication, and higher
engagement levels and they even improve our health!

Needless to say, friends have likely contributed to a great
extent to be able to wade through these uncertain and difficult times. But like
in any long-distance relationship, maintaining work friendships virtually can
take a lot of work.

Here are some tips to keep up your work friendships so you
can be happier:

• Have frequent check-ins with your work friends. While you
  will likely connect frequently for work reasons throughout the workday, even a
  simple How are you doing, really? at times can assure a friend you are there
  for them and willing to listen and receive the same support yourself when you
  need it.
• Schedule a time to get together outside work. If you wish
  to be closer to a work friend, make plans to have a virtual session or a socially
  distanced meet-up with them so you can connect on a deeper level.
• Respect their views and boundaries. There is no one way to
  be during the pandemic. Some people have preferred total home isolation for
  months, while others visit their family/friends more frequently. Respect their
  views or personal comfort level even if it doesn’t completely align with yours.
• Help each other out. Working from home during the pandemic
  has its own set of problems, and it sure helps to know you can count on someone
  when you need it. Try to be communicative, supportive, and accommodating of
  each other without crossing personal boundaries.
• Play as a team. While a bit of healthy competition never
  hurts anyone, try to understand that at the end of the day, you and your friend
  are working towards a common goal. Help each other, delegate tasks, maintain
  boundaries, and keep communication channels to build foundations for a strong
  friendship at work.

You may not be at your most social owing to various
circumstances during the pandemic, but putting in some extra effort to maintain
your friendships may actually make your life a little easier, a little less
lonely, and perhaps a measure happier.