Make Regular Time for Friends

Twice-Weekly Lunches

Hilary Kennedy, news anchor; mom of Fox, 10 months; Dallas

“When I was pregnant, I made the conscious choice to see time with friends as a nonnegotiable. I plan routine lunches with them two to three times a week as if they were a work. I keep my lunch days to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays as much as possible, rotating meals with different friends, and making sure they’re about one to two hours. This way, we have plenty of time to eat and catch up, but I don’t lose so much time out of the day that I feel overwhelmed once lunch is over. Friends rarely cancel because they know my schedule is tighter now that I’m a mom, but if they do, I try to have lunch with someone else. By keeping this rhythm, I am less likely to allow my friendships to go by the wayside.”