There have been a lot of challenges brought on by pandemic restrictions, and we may find ourselves separated from friends and family. Unfortunately, this might result in feelings of isolation that can affect our mental health.

What is ‘Social Connectedness’ & its Importance

Social connectedness is the feeling of belonging to a group, but this also applies to feeling a general sense of connection to others. There is strong evidence to suggest that it is a core psychological need for humans to feel satisfied with life.

Additional research also suggests that maintaining a high level of social connectedness leads to a number of positive health benefits, including:

  • An overall higher level of happiness
  • Living longer
  • More motivation to take care of oneself
  • Better immune system
  • Reduction in the level of stress hormones
  • An improvement of memory and cognitive skills

 

And just as connecting with your peers has a positive impact on your life, not doing so can have negative consequences on your physical and mental health.

Different Ways to Stay Connected During Lockdowns

Technology these days allows us to connect digitally with those we care about. Let’s explore a few of the methods of how we can interact with others when social distancing.

1. Social Media Apps

There are so many different social media apps which allow us to connect with our social circles via text, video, images, and audio clips. From Instagram to Facebook, to messenger apps like WhatsApp and Telegram, there are myriad ways to maintain contact even if face-to-face interactions are out of the question.

2. Video Watch Parties

If you and your friends and family have Netflix subscription plans, you can watch TV shows and movies together. To do this, add the Teleparty Chrome extension to your Chrome browser and share the video link with your loved ones. You can host long-distance movie nights with friends overseas and even add group chats to the streaming site to talk while you stream!

3. Online Gaming

If you’re a gamer, there’s never been a better time to introduce your friends and family to the world of online gaming. Get everyone playing against each other on games like Fortnite and Minecraft. Games like Overcooked support multiplayer crossplay on platforms such as Steam, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

4. Online Concerts

Miss heading out with friends? Why not attend an online concert together? There have been many musicians offering virtual concerts for their fans since the pandemic hit. Take for example, the two-day online event held by global pop group, BTS. With a record-breaking 1.33 million paid viewers over 195 countries, the music concert livestream was just one of many that were recently held. But online music concerts aren’t the only virtual events you can attend. Hop over to SISTIC and browse events ranging from Live interactive tours to theatre productions you can stream. Options are aplenty!

5. Virtual ‘Happy Hour’

Who said that just because we’re in lockdown that we can’t get together for a drink or two on a Friday night? Schedule a weekly happy hour and invite everyone to attend the party via Zoom, House Party, or other video conferencing platforms. This way, you can still have a laugh and unwind.

Of course, because all of these communication methods are online, there's one thing you'll need - a top-notch home fibre broadband connection.

Internet Connection That Keeps You Connected

If you’re after the best broadband promotion around, then check out M1’s home Wi-Fi solutions and our range of Broadband plans.

On top of our affordable Wi-Fi plans, you can also take advantage of our fantastic Netflix deals, allowing you to add a Netflix subscription plan to your monthly M1 bill for absolute convenience. All for gaming and streaming on your mobile device? Subscribe to our Unlimited Weekend Data mobile add-on and surf without any worry over data limits.