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.

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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.

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