What is a high-effort friend?

A high-effort friend is someone who consistently shows up for the people in their life, whether through big gestures or small ones. This includes remembering important dates, checking in during major life events, and celebrating wins, rather than just being available when it's convenient.

Why is having close friends important for your health?

Research shows people with strong friendships report higher life satisfaction and lower rates of depression. Studies have also linked social connection to a lower risk of death from all causes, making friendship a meaningful factor in long-term health, not just emotional well-being.

How can you be a better friend to someone who lives far away?

For long-distance friends, small consistent gestures matter most. Sending a birthday card instead of just a text, starting a shared group chat for everyday moments, and keeping track of important dates (birthdays, anniversaries, milestones) can help maintain the relationship between visits.

How do you turn a work friend into a real friendship?

Building a genuine connection with a coworker starts with small things: remembering their coffee order, publicly acknowledging their work in meetings, and asking about their life outside the office. Getting to know each other beyond shared complaints about work helps the friendship last beyond the job itself.

What are simple ways to strengthen friendships with people who live nearby?

Starting a regular tradition, like a monthly movie night or breakfast catch-up, removes the pressure of constantly making plans. Offering to pet-sit, babysit, or pick a friend up from the airport are also classic, low-cost ways to show you're reliable and willing to help.

How to Be a High-Effort Friend (And Why It Matters)

Lara here, Girlboss’ contributing writer. 👋

We could all use more high-effort friends, and the good news is, the easiest way to have one is to be one. 🫂

Not to be confused with a high-maintenance friend, 👀 a high-effort friend puts in the work: remembers important dates like birthdays and anniversaries, checks in during big life events, and celebrates your wins. This may sound like the bare minimum on paper, but when was the last time you did all three for someone you care about? 🧐

Today we’re diving into how you can be a high-effort friend to everyone from your high school bestie to your work wife. It’ll be worth it, we promise! 🥰

Other stuff the Girlboss team is talking about on Slack:

With all of the disturbing news about Cornell, we’ll just leave this here.
Stop doing these things after 6 p.m. to start sleeping better.
Finally, health data that actually explains what's working in your routines.*

💼 Job of the day: Banana pudding lovers, WYA? 🍌 Magnolia Bakery, a.k.a. the bakery behind the world’s most famous banana pudding, is hiring a Director, Integrated Marketing to drive brand awareness and profitable growth as they expand across the U.S.… oh, and the salary starts at $150K.

Why You Should Be a High-Effort Friend

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