Quick 5-line check-in to keep friendships strong without burning out
As-salamu alaykum - I care about my friends but often feel guilty for being "bad at keeping in touch." Long messages drain me, short ones feel awkward, so sometimes months go by with no contact. What helped me was making a super simple 5-line check-in template I can paste and tweak in under a minute. My version: 1) Salaam and a quick thought like “thinking of you today”; 2) one sentence about my life right now; 3) one sincere question about how they’re doing; 4) a little shared memory or inside joke; 5) a gentle closer like “no rush to reply, just wanted to say hi.” I keep it saved in my phone notes. If someone comes to mind while I’m on the bus or waiting, I grab the template, change a couple words to make it personal, and send. It can sound formulaic, but people usually respond warmly because few get low-pressure friendly messages that aren’t asking for anything. The structure also stops me from oversharing when I’m tired and might regret a long emotional message later. Small, regular check-ins keep the bond alive so deeper chats happen naturally when we both have the energy. Bonus: if you dislike texting, use the same 5-line idea as a quick voice message script so you don’t ramble for ages and then feel awkward about it.