PSA: It’s Physical Distance, Not Social Distance

Up that screen time.

Whether you’re on day two or day 14 of the social distancing, chances are you – like us – are feeling it. Sure, feeling wildly jealous anytime people on TV stand in close proximity to one another, but also feeling the distance between us and our world opening up just that little bit wider as we don't see our usual roster of friends, family and familiar faces.

In the headlines of late, the call has been for social distancing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is actively discouraging the use of the phrase ‘social distancing’, instead giving us the much-more-accurate ‘physical distancing’ to roll with as our of-late modus operandi. It’s physical, not social, distance that can save so many lives right now.

It’s far from easy, though. We’re wired for human connection. It’s this connection, writes Dr. Vivek H. Murthy in Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World, that helps us counter the not-so-great biological effects of stress and anxiety. So, we need to find that connection. Now is the time to get closer, no matter the distance that grows between us.

For you (and for us), we have pulled together a few ways to stay connected.

Phone a friend
Remember those long afternoons after school where you’d call the person whose side you’d just spent eight hours by for a three-hour chat about, well, nothing? Go old-school and bring them back.

FaceTime
No longer are FaceTime calls unwarranted. They're a great way to see those you love when you can't actually see them. Why not add wine to the occasion?

Group FaceTime
The more, the merrier.

Group workouts
If you’ve got commitment issues (don’t we all?), secure yourself a buddy for your sweat session.

Get Social
Ignore that screen time report. Slide on into someone‘s DMs. Or, just scroll away to see how others are spending their home-time. Just for you, we rounded up the best of the Internet last week.

Turn on that camera
If you’re lucky enough to be able to WFH, make sure the camera is on. It’s so much easier to connect when you can see their face. Also, their outfit.

Revive the lost art of letter writing
There’s nothing like a cheeky postcard to brighten someone’s day. And, yes, you can buy stamps online (thanks Oz Post).

Share
Another use for those stamps: send on books that you’ve read, rip out features in magazines you think someone will like. Or, if the WWW is more your thing, share articles you've read that made you laugh / cry / feel / justify your decision to stay in your PJs all day (like this one). Remember, we're all in this together. So let's share anything that will bring us closer – even from a distance.

stay connected