#309: A One-Sided Relationship (Friday, November 30)

With so many ways to stay in touch, how is it that sometimes we can go months without talking to the people closest to us? Time has a way of slipping away without you realizing it.

But what happens when you're either always receiving communications from a loved one and you never seem to be able to respond fast enough, or you're the one always reaching out and receiving no response. It can become a frustrating situation, especially for the person who's being proactive.

And you never want to be that person who only calls someone when they need a favor.

So what to do when you have so many friends and so little time? Here are some ways to stay in contact with those closest to you:

• Start a regular newsletter. Good Friday is my weekly touch base with the people I care about.
• Go through your address book. Choose 5 people from your phone's address book every day and send them a text, an email or give a quick call based on how you interact with them. Do this on a monthly basis and you'll touch everyone in your circle.
• Create a formal Contact Management Database. If you're more into process, Access or Excel can help you keep track of your contacts, including important dates, when you last spoke to them and any other information. 

Don't lose your relationships to one-sided communications.