In this unusual time of disconnect, it is especially important to maintain our social relationships with coworkers.  Our coworkers are an extension of our family/friend relationships by default.  We spend a lot of time with them and we grow to like/love them. So maintaining the relationships are just as important as any other connection. Four connections we can create to stay connected with coworkers are: 

• Recreate morning coffee breaks. Call each other and catch up as you normally would. 
• Create a chatroom for virtual breaks so you can still have that conversation with co-workers.  Schedule different times so others can join.
• Use instant messaging often to connect with co-workers during the day. 
• 5 O’clock trivia is a great way to stimulate your brain and unwind from a long day.  Someone start is off and the winner comes up with another question. Pass 3 or 4 questions for fun.

Are you big on after-hours events? Engage in a happy hour to unwind from a long day at the office.  Planning social activities in a virtual environment can be fun. Get creative and even recreate the activities you like most.  Transform in-person events to virtual masterpieces.  Getting creative with this can really be fun:  

• Karaoke is always fun. The level of intensity virtual Karaoke will bring to your event will be magical.
• Plan a virtual happy hour BYOB at home.  Laugh and talk and laugh and talk. 
• Host a virtual scavenger hunt. Assign teams and keep track of the winner. Even have virtual gifts for fun.
• No judgment virtual workouts will keep you active and fit during these difficult times.  

The ability to socially distance is really a privilege. Most of our society heavily depends on community resources for survival. There are many low cost, functional ways people can keep themselves safe and healthy during this time of social separation.  Consider the restraint “stay-at-home” activities.  When asked what can we do? Consider what you would do: movies, dinner with family/friends, picnics at the park, hanging out at the mall even. Eliminate – STOP – Recreate.  All of these are still possible in a creative fashion.  

• Movies – catch up on your favorite television shows; schedule movie night at home and pop popcorn; grab a blanket and watch in. Netflix, Amazon movies, YouTube, and other platforms offer thousands of movies and television shows to choose from. 
• Dinner with family/friends – Pull out the recipe book and make that favorite dish.  Set the table, get the whole family involved. Create an intimate dinner with your spouse and let the kids be host and waiters. Plan your meals and create themes that are fun and entertaining.
• Picnics at the park – This is an easy, fun way to get some fresh air at your very own private park in your backyard.  
• Hanging out at the mall – Time for a fashion show.  Go through your closet and rediscover your outfits. Mix and match tops and bottoms. Discover online shopping at your favorite store dot com. Window shop from your computer or smartphone with no pressure to buy.  Regular shopping right, put items in your virtual cart, shop around, and put it back before you check out.