November’s theme is going to be about spending quality time with others. In this 3 part series, we’ll touch on ways you can improve the quality time you spend with friends, on yourself, and with family.
Today’s topic is “9 Ways to Spend Quality Time with Friends”.
We’re all busy with the hustle and bustle of life. But did you know, research shows that spending time with our friends as we age has a positive impact on our brain health? So, spending time with friends is not only fun and restorative but actually strengthens your brain!
Socializing and engaging with friends are also relaxing and restorative. It reduces stress and improves anxiety. The best part about being with your bestie or a group of friends is, in a way, a great form of therapy and it doesn’t necessarily need to cost you a penny!
Here are nine fun ways to help you spend more quality time with good friends to help you reconnect with each other and provide that always needed self-care.
Go for a walk
Whether you are taking a walk around the lake, the block, or the mall, walking and talking can help relax, reconnect and strengthen the bond between you and a friend. Taking time to make walking a regular habit improves your health and wellness and helps you think more clearly. It could be as simple as a walk indoors window shopping during the cooler months or if you’re feeling especially adventurous, you may consider taking a hike in your local national park and notice the changes in the seasons.
Make a meal or cookies
One of the best ways to enhance your connection with friends is to plan, prepare and eat a meal together. Many women meal prep together, using books like *Hot Little Suppers: Simple Recipes to Feed Family and Friends or *Don’t Panic: Dinner’s in the Freezer” (a cookbook with little valuable pieces of advice I learned in MOPS), you can make multiple meals and share them to create less stress during the week when asked: “What’s for dinner?”
Add a bottle of your favorite wine and great conversation, and you’ll want to make it a regular quality time event.
Also, with the holidays coming up, I love to have friends over and bake cookies together to share. *100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen, with Classic Cookies, Novel Treats, Brownies, Bars, and More makes it easy to come up with an assortment of cookie recipes. Having many options to choose from makes me happy because I never know what I want to pick and I like choices. Baking a variety of cookies, bars, and little bites allows for great gift-giving ideas and also gives you time to share with friends, talking and restoring the soul.
Create a book club
Being a lover of reading, what better way to spend time with friends than to create a small book club. Every week, every other week, or once a month, depending on your time constraints, you can get together to discuss the reading assignment completed in the collaboratively chosen book. Here’s a great list of *Book Club Book Ideas for 2021. Sharing ideas and insights allows you to get to know each other on a deeper level.
You can even keep track of the ones you discuss and love the most with a book club journal. You can keep your group intimate at 3-5 people or ask those friends to also invite 3-5 friends. Add in tea and cookies and you’ve got yourself some fun.
Have a casino night
Recently, I attended an adults-only casino night hosted as an all athletics fundraiser by my son’s high school. What a great idea this was! We not only had fun playing different card games but we met new people and talked for hours. Schedule a night with one friend or several to get dressed up and go out together to the local casino or bingo hall.
Don’t want to go out? Keep it casual and play cards or bingo in the comfort of your own home with games like *Bunco, Farkle, Bingo, and Casino Poker.
Attend a lecture together
Locally there are universities, community colleges, and public libraries that often schedule talks and big guest speakers which are open to the public on a wide variety of topics. Many are no or low-cost to attend. Imagine being able to hear your favorite guru, author, or celebrity talk about their latest project or on a topic near and dear to your heart! Or you may choose to learn about an interesting topic that sparks your imagination and creates a whole new pursuit of your own or ignites a passion in you.
Recently, I jumped on a *free webinar with Jack Canfield and Lewis Howes where they shared personal insights, observations, and strategies from over four decades of their own experience and guide you toward achieving your greatest dreams and unbelievable success. He’s still offering this *breakthrough webcast. Grab your bestie and a notebook and watch together. I enjoyed watching it with a friend… another busy mama, just like you. We are glad we had the chance to attend and we had fun spending time together.
Breakfast, lunch, or just coffee
There’s no better start to the day than breakfast and what better way to do it than with friends. My closest girlfriends and I have a monthly “coffee” date that has evolved over time to breakfast. While we love our coffee, I know tea also has tremendous health benefits. So grab your cup of green or herbal tea with your friends and take time to sit, talk and relax together.
There’s no better start to the day than breakfast and what better way to do it than with friends. My closest girlfriends and I have a monthly “coffee” date that has evolved over time to breakfast.
While we love our coffee, I know tea also has tremendous health benefits. So grab your cup of green or herbal tea with your friends and take time to sit, talk and relax together.
Like us, you can develop your own mini therapy group, spend time with those you care about, and get some much-needed downtime. Set a “coffee” time at your favorite local coffee house or restaurant and kick back and soak in all the restorative benefits a little friend-time can bring.
Exercise
Now more than ever we need to get up and get moving. But who wants to go it alone? Walking on a treadmill next to a friend or stretching it out together in a yoga or Pilates class can help keep you focused, motivated, and on track while still spending quality time together. It can not only help to keep both of you in great shape but exercise releases endorphins that lower stress and increase energy.
If you’re not into going to the gym, with the internet and DVD’s you create gym-time at home and still do *Yoga, Pilates, and Cardio workouts together in the comfort of your own homes. To mix it up a bit and keep it interesting, take turns at each other’s houses especially if you own different types of exercise equipment like a *treadmill, an elliptical, or weights. Setting a plan with a friend makes it more likely you’ll “show up” and you’ll find the conversation and camaraderie makes the time pass quickly.
Volunteer
Serving others is always good for the soul, and is something I loved to do with my Girl Scout troop because it taught the girls the value of giving to others and giving back to your community. Why not carry this into your adult life as well?
Take a look around and you will find no shortage of organizations (*United Way, Habitat for Humanity, Free the Girls) and charities that can always use a helping hand. Volunteering at a local soup kitchen, homeless, or women’s shelter will not only feel good, but it can be a great way for you and your friends to spend quality time together while helping out those in need. Imagine the feel-good hormones you’ll have knowing you’ve helped someone else.
Spa Day or Weekend Getaway
Taking the time with your friend(s) to get a facial, a massage, manicure, or pedicure at your favorite salon or local spa can make you feel pampered and relaxed. Imagine how fantastic you’ll feel after all the stress and tightness rubbed right out of your neck, back, shoulders or feet. Having a regular weekly or monthly date can keep your muscles loose, stress levels down and those fingers and toes shiny.
Recently my closest girlfriends and I spent a weekend up in Estes Park where we strolled the local shops, sampled flavored Full-Throttle Saloon moonshine- Espresso Shot was the hands-down favorite- and enjoyed time laughing, sharing stories, and getting caught up on the goings-on in each other’s lives. It strengthened our bond and relaxed and rejuvenated our souls. We agreed we need to do this several times a year.
Whatever your choice, take time to spend these little moments with friends. It not only rejuvenates your spirit but can ignite motivation, passion projects, and ideas for a better you.
*As an Amazon Associate and affiliate member, I earn from qualifying purchases. Other quick links provided are opportunity suggestions only.
