According to research over half of UK women (52%) say it has been several years since they made a valued friendship, with nearly two thirds (61%) citing work as the primary reason they feel too busy to make new connections.
However, technology now means it needn’t be difficult to connect with new people and form meaningful relationships, and it doesn’t take a huge commitment to help yourself and others make new connections.
To celebrate National Best Friends Day on June 8, Mobiles.co.uk, has worked with a leading life coach to share a few tips on the top ways adults can use technology to build new connections.
1. Find like-minded online communities Using your hobbies and interests is a great way to connect with similar people online, and there are plenty of forums catering to everyone from sports fans to film fanatics. Websites like Reddit have countless chatrooms for a huge variety of interests. With platforms like these it’s easier than ever to make connections with like-minded people.
Then there are more specialised apps and websites dedicated to linking people over a specific interest. Spotify, for example, has a feature that allows users to find and connect with music lovers of similar tastes, while fitness apps like Strava give cyclists the ability to share their favourite routes and connect with other users nearby.
If you’re thinking of travelling but don’t have anyone to go with, websites like SoloTraveller and Backpackr allow users to connect with their fellow globetrotters, letting them meet up in advance, or at their destination.
2. There’s an app for that Friend finding apps are becoming increasingly common, with several alternatives to choose from. Bumble BFF, Friender and Hey! VINA are some examples of apps that are built like dating profiles, allowing you to match with people who you would like to be friends with.
Bumble BFF for example works like a dating site and is built specifically for women. You build your profile and can then swipe through other people’s profiles to find someone you want to connect with.
The user specifies a distance and Bumble finds people within this area, prioritising people who have liked you first. The app’s algorithm doesn’t take your past matches into account, allowing you to branch out from your comfort zone and meet new people from all walks of life.
Rachel Pountney from Leeds was concerned about how she would make friends in a new city before she discovered Bumble BFF: “I moved to Leeds four years ago to live with my boyfriend, but I was conscious that I didn’t know anyone else in the area and started looking for ways to meet new people. I heard about Bumble BFF and gave it a go. It was a bit strange at first, but eventually I got chatting to an American girl called Kat Fish (no, seriously!)
“We met up and instantly got on like a house on fire! She’s moved back to the US, but we’ve met up in America and back in Leeds since then, and we still chat regularly.”
3. Get social Humble social media channels like Facebook and Twitter, which for many have become a part of their everyday lives, can easily be used to help find and join new online communities. Consider searching keywords related to topics and hobbies you’re interested in to find groups and conversations to join.
Nicola Fulstow was able to make the most of Facebook to bond with other new mums: “As a stay at home mum I found it challenging to get out of the house and meet new people. So I decided to put a post on my local resident’s Facebook page to see if there were any other stay at home mums with young kids who would be open to meeting up for coffee.
“Four years later and there are seven of us who are the best of friends and still speak nearly every week! What started out as a group of mums desperate for some adult conversation has led to me having the most incredible group of friends who are all neighbours!”
Carole Ann Rice, one of the UK’s leading life coaches, explains why friendships are such an important part of living a healthy life: “Friendships are essential for our wellbeing as they can make us feel understood, appreciated, heard and less lonely. A good friend makes us feel supported, brings happiness and connectivity, and someone to share our interests with.
“We can have different friends for different areas of our life – friends who share hobbies, colleagues, or school or college friends. With a lot of different types of friends we find a composite picture of connection, togetherness and wellbeing.”
Andrew Cartledge, Mobile Expert and Mobiles.co.uk, added: “Whilst having connections in various areas of our lives is great for our wellbeing, modern life can make it challenging to establish new friendships. Technology has undoubtedly made it easier for people to find and connect with other like-minded individuals, and has removed barriers such as simply not having the time to get out there and meet new people.”
