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9 Tips For Maintaining A Social Life Despite Work

How To Balance Work And Social Life

If you're like many of us, your work and social life overlap. Soon after you accept a new job offer, you realize the transition is going to affect your personal relationships as well as your professional activities. Consider these steps to take before and after you start your new gig to help you maintain old ties and build new friendships.

1Hang Out Outside Of Work

There's more to you than your professional interests. Invite engaging colleagues to go out shopping or hiking. Meet people from other walks of life.

2Volunteer Or Join A Club

Help your community while you expand your social circle. Anyone attending a fundraiser for a local animal shelter probably shares your love for dogs. Working side by side to clean up a park gives you time to talk with other volunteers. Meanwhile, you can also find a club to match any interest. Browse online for meetup listings or ask your librarian to recommend a book club for young professionals who love Jane Austen and vampire novels.

3Chat Or Call

Virtual friends are a delightful supplement to your usual mates from school and work. Learn what bands and food trucks are popular in Los Angeles or Philadelphia through online chats. On the other hand, you may also call your former manager or personal assistant once in a while. Communicating with former colleagues will help to prepare you for the day you move on.

4Take A Walk

It's sometimes easier to talk with people while you're engaged in physical activity. Take a walk. Greet your neighbors while you stroll around the block.

5Participate In Your Professional Society

Business groups are another great source of professional connections that are independent of any job you may hold. Sign up for the welcoming committee. Or, you may also help plan the monthly luncheons.

6Assess Your New Company's Culture

Use your orientation period to continue sizing up the company culture. Do staff members from different departments gather together for lunch in the break room? Is the softball league looking for a new catcher? Look for ways to fit in.

7Start Small And Take Initiative

Introduce yourself around the office. Strike up a conversation while you make copies or pick up your mail. Just take note that trying to meet the entire staff could be overwhelming. Begin focusing on one or two people who seem compatible. Invite them out to lunch or ask them about their children and hobbies.

8Share And Listen

As appropriate, divulge some details about the inner you. Hang up photos of you and your family. Let your coworkers know that you're entering a competition for ballroom dancing next weekend.

On the other hand, remember that showing a sincere interest in others is one of the most effective ways to draw people to you. Thank your colleagues for giving you pointers on how to settle in. Ask questions that show you're listening. Follow up when a team member tells you they're redecorating their living room, or their son is taking a big test.

9Give Generously And Be Patient

Let your colleagues know they can count on you. Speak up in staff meetings to recommend a quicker way to enter data. Pitch in on special projects. Bake a batch of cookies and set them out in the kitchen for everyone to enjoy.

Through it all, be patient. It will probably take some time to feel at home. Enjoy meeting new people and sharing your experiences.

Stay social while you change jobs. You'll probably hold many different positions during your working life, but your social network is a lasting asset that enriches all your activities. Stay in touch with the colleagues you cherish and open your heart to making new connections.



About Author

John Quintana

John Quintana is a proud Cuban, a lifelong resident of Miami, Florida, where he lives surrounded by a loving family. When he's not writing, he spends his time either fishing or in the kitchen.