The Magic 8-Minute Phone Call

Something to try out this year!

Have you heard of the 8-minute phone call? The New York Times Wellness Section, simply called NYT Well, shared this exercise as part of their 7-Day Happiness Challenge and I kind of love the idea.

They explain:

“Think of a person you love: someone you miss, someone you wish you connected with more often.

Now, instead of wondering when you'll find time to reach out to them, try an 8-minute phone call. Why eight minutes? It's long enough to give you time to connect, but quick enough that it won't overwhelm your schedule.

Most busy people “tend to think that in some unspecified future, we’ll have a ‘time surplus,’ where we’ll be able to connect with old friends,” said Dr. Bob Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the author of the new book “The Good Life." But that may never materialize, he said, so pick up the phone and invest the time right now.”

How great is that? I, for one, desperately need to work on investing in the time right now.

Would you try an 8-minute phone call? Or maybe you already do?