With busy schedules, demanding jobs, families, friends and hobbies, it's no wonder so many people have a hard time keeping in touch with their friends and family members. To learn some tips to help keep you feeling connected,

• Since we live in the technology age, take advantage of e-mail and instant messaging. At the end of a long day, catching up on the phone can be a looming task, especially if you have been on the phone all day at work, so opt for sending an e-mail instead, but don't abolish phone calls altogether
• Set weekly phone dates with out of town friends/family. The longer you go in-between conversations, the harder it is to get back on track, so aim for frequent yet short conversations so they aren't so daunting
• Organize a girls' night, or a standing dinner date with your group of friends. The girls from Sex and the City [0]
  did a great job re-connecting during their weekly brunches, it gave them something to look forward to, a time to swap stories and tell secrets. My weekly girls' nights are always the highlight of my week!
• On-line communities such as MySpace or FaceBook are geared more towards the younger generation, but they do provide an easy way to stay connected with old and new friends. You might even be surprised who you can find from your past on these networks
• Blogging is another great and easy way to chronicle your life. Posting personal journal entries and adding images or videos can make it easy for your loved ones to keep track of your day to day activities
• A friend of mine who recently had a baby sends out Ofoto links so she can share her pictures with her friends and family members - a good way to show why her hands are so full!

Although everyone is busy, it is still extremely important to make time to stay in touch with the people you love. If any of you have other tips to share, please do so in the comments below.

Source [1]