Revealed: The ideal time to spend catching up with old friends (to allow you to discuss family, friendship group gossip, work news, relationships and holidays)

Published: 00:33, 6 June 2026 | Updated: 00:41, 6 June 2026 The ideal time to spend catching up with a friend in Britain’s increasingly busy world has been revealed – 84 minutes. A survey found that an hour and 24 minutes is the right amount of time to be able to discuss family, friendship group gossip, work news, relationships and holidays. But 73 per cent wish they had more casual opportunities to meet friends, while 69 per cent say they want easier, lower-pressure ways to stay connected. Just 14 per cent of the 2,000 surveyed say their catch-ups can last four hours. More than 40 per cent blame packed schedules as the biggest obstacle to regular socialising. Lack of energy after work is cited by 30 per cent, while 20 per cent complain that travel time is a barrier. Socialising is also becoming increasingly formalised, with 64 per cent saying meeting friends now feels more like an organised event than an everyday occurrence. Despite these challenges, many believe frequent, shorter interactions are actually better for maintaining friendships. Almost two-thirds (62 per cent) said regular moments of connection help sustain relationships more effectively than occasional large-scale events.  A survey found that an hour and 24 minutes is the right amount of time to be able to discuss family Nearly half of those questioned believe socialising has become more planned than it was five years ago, with only 30 per cent arranging a catch-up within three days of it taking place, the research by beer brand Madri Excepcional Limon discovered. Meanwhile, four in ten people (40 per cent) admitted they had gone more than a month without an impromptu meet-up, and one in ten said they could not even remember the last time they had one. And three in five respondents (61 per cent) admitted they miss the days when socialising felt more casual and effortless. Anca Secara, of Madri, said: ‘Our research shows nearly three quarters of Brits are craving more casual catch-ups with friends – alongside the big, planned get-togethers.  'And that feeling only grows in summer, with 67 per cent saying the warmer weather makes them more open to impromptu plans.’ No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.