In the time of losing in-person community and motivation, ruled by doomscroll centered hangouts, it is essential to keep connected in a way that will help you grow. Finding people in your life that keep you doing the essentials and laughing through them, is finding an accountability buddy.
Analog culture is all about bringing back the physical and ditching the digital, and a big part in curbing your digital consumption is through community. With ever growing schedules and the lack of motivation to actually create plans, hanging out with the people you love can start to feel impossible.
An accountability buddy is someone you can contact and bring along with you to the most mundane activities. I am not talking just someone who will go to the grocery store with you or go shoe shopping, although that can still fall under the category. I am talking about people who are willing to sit beside you at a dentist appointment or sit in line with you for an hour and a half to get your passport.
Appointments that you have made, vital ones for either your health or routine check up for certain necessities are not going away; move hard-to-set-up hang outs to days that are booked up.
Attending these appointments with you and being present is so important, no more collective doom scrolling, even on the go. Use that time to catch up with each other, talk about the things that have been going on, maybe things that have been bothering you, do not use that time to isolate yourself from the other person present.
While these places may not be conventional places to hang out and have fun, it is possible and it starts with communication. If you have a best friend or a partner in your life, someone who has helped you through the worst moments, chances are they would not mind attending a doctor’s appointment with you.
Something that is helpful with an accountability buddy is that they are a person who can be versatile, they keep you accountable on the vital appointments. No more leaving that bank trip to the last minute when you have a person in your life who will accompany you. Additionally they are keeping you away from any of your devices, waiting rooms are the most drab alone.
Having an accountability buddy can be as high effort or low effort as you want, this can just be a person who minimizes your screen time with their presence in unconventional spaces. However, they can also be a person who you set physical goals with, screen time goals or even health goals can be discussed to better grow both people.
To make a village, you have to be a part of that village. Having someone in your corner who is willing to go the extra mile for you is incredible but to maintain these relationships you need to be willing to put forth the same effort as the other person.
Match the person where they are at, if there is no reciprocation in efforts then that person is not made to be an accountability buddy. Which is alright, creating a space of one or two people who you can count on to keep you in check and keep you entertained can be difficult, not all relationships will be that level.
Get off your phone and cement relationships with the people around you, at the end of the day communication and effort will start a community, have them grow with you.