FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Life tasks like paying bills, canceling subscriptions and answering overdue emails are becoming a reason to socialize for friends, couples, roommates and other people who get together for what’s known as “admin dates.”The low-pressure gatherings taking place in coffee shops, accommodating bars and private homes are intended to turn tedious and procrastination-inducing adult responsibilities into productive time with a twist. Tackling a personal to-do list alongside others is a double-duty activity that combines the satisfaction of tending to necessary chores with the no less vital work of nurturing relationships.“You can have both — getting things done and connecting with people,” Thema Bryant, a Pepperdine University psychology professor and past president of the American Psychological Association, said. “At the gym, if I’m taking a group exercise class, I’m less likely to stop in the middle of other people. ... In the same way, admin dates can help with accountability, motivation and connection.”
Romantic or business partners looking to get on the same page, and club members or volunteers collaborating on a big project also may find admin dates helpful. Experts generally advise against meeting up in this way with regular work colleagues, especially supervisors, because it might add unnecessary pressure or create self-consciousness that’s counterproductive to confronting in-box gremlins.Here’s why experts think admin dates have taken off on social media and elsewhere, and some suggestions to keep in mind when organizing one:
