When you think about improving your health, you probably think about exercising more, eating better … and possibly getting better sleep.

If you think about longevity at all, a few additional things may come to mind … like superfoods, supplement concoctions, new scientific breakthroughs, and maybe even blood transfusions (hey, the line between science fiction and reality is getting thinner every day)! But there’s a much simpler way to improve health and extend your life.

Data point of the week
Robert Putnam was the first to raise the alarm about growing levels of disconnectedness in the U.S. … and the consequences disconnection has on our health, democracy, and virtually every other area of life. Now he’s come out with a film, "Join or Die." Here’s quote from the trailer:

What?!

That’s a bold statement, but the dangers of loneliness, isolation, and disconnection are well-documented. In fact, lacking connection tops the list of mortality risk factors, as this chart shows.

Reflection
So why isn’t connection a top healthcare priority? I just had my annual visit with my PCP. I was asked lots of questions about my health behaviors and history, but not a single one about my relationships or the quality of connection in my life.

Imagine what would happen to our health and longevity if the healthcare system invested in helping people build stronger connections?

Probably best to take things into our own hands rather than waiting for the healthcare system to change 😵‍💫.

Following Robert Putnam’s advice and joining a group is a good place to start.

I’ve joined a lot of things over the years. A pottery class, Toastmasters, tennis, pickleball, a book club. Some things were a great experience but didn’t lead to any lasting friendships. Other things have given me some of my closest friends. Oh, and tennis is how I met my wife.

It can be hard to make new friends after college/graduate school. Joining a group feels easier than trying to strike up individual friendships, such as by inviting someone you just met to get together. And, joining something gives you the added benefit of what I call “automatic recurring connection.” After the initial effort of setting it up, all you have to do is show up. Goodbye scheduling hassles! You’ll see the same people over and over again, until you get to know them over time.

Connection Skill & Action Step: Join a club, class, team, or group.
One of the easiest ways to increase your social connections is to join a club, class, team, or group.  

Step 1: Reflect. What would be enjoyable and engaging to you? Are you interested in learning something new? Developing a skill? Exploring an interest? Do you have a goal that you can pursue with other people?

Step 2: Research. What groups, organizations, and meet-ups are out there? Does it seem like a good fit? Will the meeting times work? Is there an opportunity to get to know other people (for example, is the format interactive)?

Step 3: Register and show up. Try it out for a couple months. If you love it, great! If you don’t, hey, you gave it a try! Drop what you’re not getting value out of and try something else.

If you want to create a great group for other people to join—and build relationships—consider becoming a ProjectConnect Facilitator.

Questions. Please share your responses in the comments, we love hearing from you!
Have you ever joined something that turned out to be a bad fit? What happened?
Have any lasting friendships come out of joining a club, group, class, or team?