Why Is It Getting Hard to Meet Casually?

 


I am sure that you have noticed that it is hard to just drop by and meet anyone these days? And this was true even before the pandemic. Of course, the situation has become significantly harder over the past few years. 

This trend is all pervasive - both professionally and personally. 

For years, I would drop by and casually spend a day in the head office of the global organization I used to work for. I loved just walking the corridors and connecting with so many folks. Some conversations would just be a 'Hi" while others ranged from "Come on in...let's talk" to "Great to see you here...do you have sometime to spare? I want to discuss something with you." 

And in these precious unplanned chats, connections would be forged and ideas often emerged that would be fulfilling and often, very productive. So, a year ago, when I was in the office, I was disappointed to see that almost all rooms were empty as folks worked from home. Undoubtedly, there are myriad benefits of such an arrangement, but I missed the informal connect! 

But this trend is found personally as well. I noticed that I am rarely meeting with my close cousins and friends as well - unless the meetings are super planned. 

I have discussed this trend with a few others. We blamed it on our 'busy lives.' 

But, a few days ago, as I read Oliver Burkeman's book 'Four Thousand Weeks,' a deeper insight emerged. I think Oliver communicates this point well. Reproduced below: 


"The unbridled reign of our individualistic ethos, fuelled by the demands of the market economy, has overwhelmed our traditional ways of organising time, meaning that the hours in which we rest, work and socialise are becoming even more uncoordinated.


It’s hard for my closest friends to just meet casually.  It isn’t usually that ‘we don’t have the time’ in the strict strict sense of the phrase, though that is what we may tell ourselves. It’s not that we do not have the time but there is almost no likelihood of it being the same portion of time for everyone involved. We have constructed lives that cannot be made to mesh."



This piece has left me thinking. If you made it all the way here, would love to hear from you. Reply below, add a comment on the article on my blog here: https://sanjaychaganti.blogspot.com/2023/02/why-is-it-getting-hard-to-meet-casually.html or drop me an email at sanjay@tillitonse.org


Would love to hear your perspective. 


Mindfully, 

Sanjay


Sanjay Chaganti

HAPPINESS CATALYST

Leadership and Life Coach

https://www.sanjaychaganti.com/


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