Building Social Networks for Longer Lifespans

As we age...

Talking openly about money helps us save and spend wisely.

The Impact

Loneliness is a health epidemic.

Social isolation is a risk factor for earlier death, with an impact similar to that of smoking tobacco.

American Journal of Public Health, 2013

Having a wide social circle is shown to help us find our next job.

Finding a new job is likely to be essential, as we’re now spending more years in the workforce. As of 2017, almost 20% of Americans over 65 have continued to work—up from 12% in 1990.

American Sociological Review, 2017; US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017

Midlife transitions can be overwhelming.

Experts say building a wide social circle, whether it’s built purposefully or serendipitously, is a common theme among those who land successful transitions as they age.

The 100-Year Life, 2016

The Takeaway

Get out there and meet new types of people.

Advice from Real People

"I write my grandmother every month. She just loves beautiful cards, and sending them is delightful for me. It’s deepened our relationship."

"My childhood friends and I text each other one question: What’s something that made you excited recently? Having this one simple habit makes it easy for us to stay involved in each others’ lives."

"Every Saturday morning I do a group video chat with my family in Bahrain and Canada. I hold myself to it, even when I’m busy. It always grounds me and makes me feel close to them.”

The Research

Meeting people of different backgrounds and expertise shows us new possibilities for what our lives can be.

“ A broader set of more distant relationships may lack an affective quality but exposes the individual to new, even unanticipated possibilities.”

Administrative Science Quarterly, 1999

Activities that boost our social capital can open doors to new opportunities.

“ Our results suggest (...) volunteering may indeed develop or strengthen an individual’s social capital, thereby providing volunteers access to opportunities for employment. This may be particularly important for individuals who have a greater social capital deficit, such as those lacking education.”

Office of Research and Evaluation, Corporation for National and Community Service, 2013

It’s not just close ties that help you find a new job. Having a broad network helps, too.

“ Weak ties are important collectively because of their quantity, but strong ties are important individually because of their quality.”

Journal of Labor Economics via Facebook Research, 2016

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