How to Keep in Touch with Friends (and Actually Do It)

1. Decide who you want to stay close to

You can’t keep up with everyone, and you don’t have to. Write down the people you’d be sad to lose touch with: old friends, family who live far away, a former colleague you liked. For most people, that list is 10 to 30 names.

2. Give each person a rhythm

Not every friendship needs the same attention. A best friend might be every week, a cousin every month, a friend from university twice a year. Choosing a rhythm turns “I should call them sometime” into something you can actually plan.

3. Make reaching out small

The biggest obstacle is thinking that getting in touch needs a long call. It doesn’t. A voice message, a photo that reminded you of them, or “saw this and thought of you” all count.

4. Remember what they told you

Asking “How did the job interview go?” means more than “How are you?”. After a conversation, jot down a line or two: news, plans, names of partners and kids. Next time, read it before you call.

When you promise something, like calling back or sending the photos from the weekend, write it down as a to-do on that person. With Starrise Contacts Pro, a to-do with a due date reminds you on the day, and checking it off takes one tap.

5. Use the dates that are already there

Birthdays, anniversaries and name days are built-in reasons to reach out. Make sure they are saved and that your phone reminds you. See how to remember birthdays on iPhone.

6. Let your phone do the remembering

Without an app, you can create repeating reminders in the Reminders app, one per person, every month or every three months. It works, but you have to move them yourself when you have just talked.

With Keep in Touch reminders in Starrise Contacts Pro, you set the rhythm on the contact: every week, every month, twice a year or any interval you like. Starrise counts from the last time you were in touch and reminds you when it’s time. Mark “Caught up” and the count starts again.

7. Put your people within reach

Add the people you want to stay close to as favorites, so they are one tap away. In Starrise Contacts you can arrange your favorites in any order and set a quick action per person, such as their WhatsApp chat.