The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another. In some ways, it’s brought us closer together in support and solidarity. But physically, we’re farther away from our friends and loved ones than ever before. And that can be stressful, both on yourself personally and on your relationships.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- How to Say ‘Thinking of You During COVID-19’ in a Work Email
- How to Say ‘Thinking of You During COVID-19’ When Reaching Out to a Close Friend or Relative
- How to Say ‘Thinking of You During COVID-19’ to an Acquaintance
One way to combat feelings of isolation is to reach out to people in your life. They might be your coworkers, friends and family, or just an acquaintance who pops into your mind. This article will help you find some unique and thoughtful ways to simply say, “I’m thinking of you,” during COVID-19.
How to Say ‘Thinking of You During COVID-19’ in a Work Email
Many of us find ourselves working remotely (or more remotely) during COVID-19. And the amount of stress you experience might depend, in part, on how well-equipped you are to work from home. But even if you have a fully decked-out home office setup, working during a global pandemic is no walk in the park.
Reaching out to your clients and coworkers just to let them know you’re thinking about them is good for their mental health and yours. So, here are some “thinking of you” messages that are perfect for a work email during COVID-19.
1. “You popped into my head today, so I thought I’d reach out and see how you’re doing! I hope you’re well.”
A “thinking of you” message doesn’t have to be very complicated. You can simply tell your coworker that you’re thinking of them, and let them know you wish them well.
2. “I saw this today, and it made me think of you! Let’s talk soon.”
If you stumble upon an uplifting article that reminds you of someone you work with, send it to that person to let them know you’re thinking about them. The key word here is “uplifting.” You don’t want to send an article that could add stress or anxiety to an already stressful work week.
3. “We haven’t talked in a while, so I just wanted to reach out and see how you’re doing! I hope you and your family are healthy and doing well.”
This message is a good choice for a client or coworker who you haven’t spoken with for a while. It lets them know you’re thinking of them during COVID-19 and that you have their family in mind, too.
4. “Just a little something to say thank you for all of your hard work and dedication through this stressful time!”
If you can, it’s a thoughtful touch to send your employees or independent contractors a thank you letter with a gift card as a little “COVID-19 bonus.” You can mail the cards, but a more pandemic-friendly option would be to email them the gift card confirmation numbers.
5. “I just wanted to say thank you so much for all you do. I don’t know what we’d do without you!”
Even if you can’t afford to give your employees, coworkers, or contractors gift cards to say thanks, the words themselves are often more than enough. Let your coworker know how much you appreciate having them around (virtually) during COVID-19.
6. “I miss our office hijinks! Let’s Zoom this week?”
One of the toughest things about working remotely is that you miss out on all the little things: the workplace gossip, the inside jokes, and hearing about everyone’s weekend each Monday. Chances are, your colleagues are missing those office moments, too.
7. “Hi everyone, I just wanted to send a quick note that I think you’re doing amazing!”
Sometimes you’re thinking about one colleague in particular, but sometimes you want to say “thinking of you” to everyone you work with. You can send this quick check-in to everyone on your team.
8. “Do you have time to take a ‘coffee break’ with me sometime this week? I’ve been thinking of you, and I’d love to catch up on everything going on with you!”
You can invite your colleague to a 10-15 minute hangout via video call where you don’t talk about work but just share about your personal lives.
How to Say ‘Thinking of You During COVID-19’ When Reaching Out to a Close Friend or Relative
It’s important to check in on your friends, family, and loved ones during COVID-19. You want to make sure they’re coping with the stresses of the pandemic. But how do you care for someone you love from a distance?
Reaching out just to say “thinking of you” is a great place to start, and it’s a good way to stay in touch with your close loved ones during COVID-19. Any time you happen to think of one of your close friends or relatives during COVID-19, you can reach out with one of these “thinking of you” messages or “thinking of you” gifts.
9. “I realize now how lucky I was back when I got to see you every day!”
The adage, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” certainly applies to social contact during COVID-19.
10. “I just found this old photo of us, and I miss this!”
Send your friend or loved one a photo of you together from a time you spent laughing and relaxing. Those memories are important to cherish when you’re isolating during COVID-19.
11. “Just checking in. I’d love to hear how things have been for you in this crazy new world we live in.”
You can check in with your friend or loved one and let them know you’re interested to hear what life’s been like for them during COVID-19.
12. “Sending all my love from afar with some quarantine care!”
You can write this simple message to someone you love if you’re sending them a quarantine care package. If you’re putting together a care package, consider items that will help your loved one combat stress. That might include a weighted blanket, chocolate, or a box set of their favorite TV show.
And don’t forget to remind your gift recipient to sanitize what they can, wash their hands after handling the mail, and thank their mail carrier!
13. “I know things are hectic, but let’s catch up when things calm down for you.”
You don’t want your loved one to feel pressured by your message, especially when life is so stressful already. Just let them know you’re there when they’re ready and want to talk.
14. “I’ll be online tonight if you want to ‘meet up.’”
Sometimes, setting a date, time, and location to meet up--just like you would in person--can help things feel more normal.
15. “Dinner tonight? Wear something fancy.”
Taking that idea of “meeting up” a step further, you could invite your friend or loved one to a fancy dinner date, via video call. Pick a time, and make sure you both have your dinner ready and your best dress on. You could even make it a “dinner and a movie night,” and hit “play” on a feature film at the same time.
16. “I know these past few months must have been beyond tough for you. If you want to vent, don’t ever hesitate to call.”
Your friend or loved one might be too stressed or overwhelmed to talk right now, and that’s all right. Just let them know you’re there if they need to vent their frustrations.
How to Say ‘Thinking of You During COVID-19’ to an Acquaintance
You don’t have to be close to someone to send them a quick “thinking of you during COVID-19” message. If there’s an acquaintance in your life you’d like to get to know better, you can send them a message to let them know they’re in your thoughts.
And if you know someone who might be especially impacted by the stresses of COVID-19 (like a healthcare worker or someone with underlying health conditions, for example), you can reach out to see how they’re doing.
Here are some creative ways to say, “I’ve been thinking of you during COVID-19,” to someone you don’t know all that well.
17. “How are you? I thought of you today, so I thought I’d reach out.”
If you’re not sure about reaching out to an acquaintance, you can just let them know you thought of them and open the line of communication.
18. “I wish we could have hung out more before all of this started! How have you been?”
If you just met someone before COVID-19 isolation began, you can let them know you would have wanted to become closer. And you still can get closer--just not literally.
19. “Hi! I just wanted to say I hope you’re doing well.”
This message is perfect for an acquaintance because it’s friendly and casual, and it doesn’t demand a message back.
20. “I know you’re in the healthcare field, so I just wanted to say thank you and see how you’re doing.”
You might have thought of this particular acquaintance because they’re working in potential contact with COVID-19 every day. You can let them know that and say thank you at the same time.
21. “I know we haven’t talked much, but I’d love to get to know you. It’s so important to stay connected right now! How are you?”
You can let the person know that you would love to become better friends, even if you can only connect virtually right now. They’re sure to appreciate the human contact.
22. “Hey! I saw that you were online, and I thought it’d be cool to say hi.”
If you’re on a social media site that shows you when your connections are online, you could reach out to someone just because they’re there. It’s like saying, “Hey, how are you?” to an acquaintance you run into at the neighborhood coffee shop.
23. “Hi, I love your last photo! How long have you been into [hobby]?
Another way to connect with an acquaintance over social media is by asking about their latest post. People often post photos of their favorite hobbies or interests, so it’s a good starting place for conversation if you have common interests.
24. “I thought of you today and that time [memory with the person], and I thought I would reach out. I can’t wait until things are back to normal again!
If there’s a particular memory you share with the person, you might have been reminiscing on it while you’re in isolation. You can talk about that memory together and commiserate about how different life is at the moment.
25. “How are you and your family doing? I miss running into you at [place]!”
We often have acquaintances who we run into at the same place again and again. Without the ability to go places, you can lose that sense of normalcy. Reaching out to those acquaintances can help restore a sense of “normal” for both you and the other person.
Coping with Stress During COVID-19
According to the CDC, isolation is one of the top causes of stress and anxiety. But during COVID-19, we all have to do our part in slowing the spread by self-isolating.
Luckily, self-isolation only applies to physical distancing. We can still reach out to our loved ones and others over the phone, text or email, or video call as much and as often as we want. And the CDC recommends that we take those opportunities as often as possible to decrease the impacts of isolation on our mental health.
If you’re feeling overwhelming stress and anxiety during COVID-19, the CDC provides a full list of helpful resources, hotlines, and crisis chat services.
If you're looking for more on how to support loved ones during the pandemic, read our guide on dealing with loss and grief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sources
- “Coronavirus Disease: Coping with Stress.” CDC. 1 July 2020. www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/managing-stress-anxiety.html