Blog

Number 142

Did you notice recent headlines announcing that obesity is contagious? Several studies suggest that you are more likely to gain weight if you hang out with fat people. The importance of social connections in the spread of obesity is just one of the topics being examined by the new science of human networks.

Two scientists explore some of the fascinating findings about social networks in “Connected – How Your Friends’ Friends’ Friends Affect Everything You Feel, Think and Do.” Authors Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler make a convincing case that, like schools of fish changing direction in unison, we are unconsciously led by the people around us. Here are some of their conclusions:

• Our networks shape us. We all belong to social networks that have properties and functions not actively controlled by the people within them. These networks give rise to cultures that are more complicated than the participants realize, and develop much like a cake that becomes something greater than the sum of its ingredients. Humans are “ultrasocial” and our brains are deeply influenced by the networks to which we belong.
• Our networks are smart. Social networks can manifest an intelligence that augments or complements individual intelligence, the way an ant colony can act smarter than the smartest single ant.
• Happiness is contagious to three degrees of separation. Our emotions and behaviors are greatly influenced by the emotions and behaviors of those in our networks. You are influenced not only by your close contacts, but also by your contacts’ contacts, and their contacts, as well. For example, the authors found that a person is about 15 percent more likely to be happy if a directly connected person (i.e. a person at one degree of separation) is happy. But happiness continues to spread, like ripples in a pond. The happiness effect for people at two degrees of separation (the friend of a friend) is 10 percent, and for people at three degrees (the friend of a friend of a friend) is 6 percent.
• Our networks can support change. We might be more effective in tackling social issues, like crime or public health, by addressing groups of people, and not just individuals. For example, to help people quit smoking or lose weight perhaps we need to involve their families, friends and even their friends’ friends.
• Your actions matter. The authors say, “the surprising power of social networks is not just the effect others have on us. It is also the effect we have on others…The ubiquity of human connection means that each of us has a much bigger impact on others than we can see.”

Number 141

We devote vast time and energy to our professions, and we expect much in return. But sometimes we aren’t satisfied with the deals we’ve cut. Even when the pay is good, our jobs may leave us feeling bored, ignored or frustrated.

Would you like to get a bit more out of your work? Perhaps more recognition or stimulation? Certainly it makes sense to seek ways to make your job more satisfying. But don’t stop there. It may be that some of the elements you are missing at work could be found elsewhere in your life.

If you are happy, healthy and engaged in life, you are most likely to thrive in your career. But you may have to look to additional avenues to find the fulfillment that will allow you to be at your best, both at work and at home.

Ask yourself about what is missing in your work life – like appreciation or a sense of community – and consider whether you might find other ways to attract those elements into your life. Ask these questions, as you explore ways to meet needs not currently met by your career:

• Are you lonely? Research suggests that people are generally happier the more they socialize. Gallup data on well-being show that the happiest Americans socialize six or seven hours a day. If your job doesn’t offer satisfying interaction with others, look within and beyond your professional life to improve your social life. Schedule simple activities during the day, like coffee breaks and quick lunches. Join professional groups and committees. And drag yourself out of the office for regular time with friends and networking in your community.
• Do you need more recognition and appreciation? High achievers often reach a plateau where they are still doing good work, but their colleagues are taking it for granted. They may enjoy the work itself, but they miss getting “A’s” and being thanked for their efforts. If you feel like you’re not enjoying enough respect on the job, reflect on whether there are other venues where your contributions might be appreciated. Consider service on a non-profit board, or find some other kind of volunteer work. Join a club or reconnect with your faith-based organization.
• Do you need new challenges? We tend to get bored when we perform similar tasks for a long time. But when we are engaged in learning something new – even if it is not directly related to our jobs – we may develop renewed interest in our work. It seems that when we are in a learning mode we start to view old routines in a new way. We are more alert, and spot new connections and develop fresh ideas. So if you are bored with your job, you might create a change of pace by studying something new. Learn a language, pick up a new skill, or pursue an abandoned hobby. You can stimulate new energy at work by engaging your brain in new challenges outside the office.
• Is your job too stressful? On-the-job stress tends to build with time. When we already are feeling stressed we overreact to emergencies and other new stressors and the pressure continues to build. We may reach a stage that we are so stressed we can barely function, but are feeling so overwhelmed that we don’t dare take a minute off. Research suggests that people in stressful jobs often improve their performance if they take regular breaks. So build in small breaks throughout your days with meditation, brief walks or deep breathing. And take regular vacations. Even if you think you are too busy to get away, you may find renewal that will allow you to perform more effectively than ever.

In his intriguing book Encore, Marc Friedman paints a vivid picture of the working life that could replace retirement for millions of Baby Boomers. With help from enlightened public policy, he suggests, Boomers could function as the backbone of education, nonprofit and other sectors essential to national well-being.

Friedman says that there is a growing wave of retirees who are living out a compelling vision of work in the second half of life. In their encore careers, these individuals find themselves “at the intersection of continued income, new meaning, and significant contribution to the greater good.”

Among other benefits, new work options after the traditional retirement age “could provide a second chance at upward mobility for individuals from the less affluent end of the socioeconomic spectrum,” Friedman says.

I agree with Friedman that changes in tax, Social Security, labor and other laws could ease the way toward a future in which Americans will have rewarding work options into and well beyond our 70s. But there are plenty of indicators that, even without these policy changes, the career picture is increasingly bright for older Americans:

• Lifelong learning is opening new doors. Around the world, universities are recruiting older students, and in the U.S. adults over 55 are going back to school in growing numbers. A study on lifelong learning by the American Council on Education says that adults aged 50 and older already represent 3.8% of students enrolled in for-credit courses at colleges and universities (PDF). And a growing number of organizations are creating mentor and other programs aimed at retooling retirees for rewarding new jobs.
• Jobs will be there. With unemployment still close to 10% it may be hard to believe, but we’re heading toward another labor shortage. Encore.org has posted a study predicting that by 2018 there will be more jobs than people to take them (PDF). For many sectors, the next generation of workers just won’t be able to fill the holes in the labor force. Employers will have an incentive to recruit older workers by offering new kinds of training and schedule flexibility. Flextime and part-time schedules, job-sharing, and continued expansion of outsourcing will translate into new job opportunities for seniors.
• It gets easier to follow your passion. We continue to evolve as we mature, and after 50 we may find it easier to create the career we really want. Psychologist Carl Jung coined the term “individuation” to describe the process by which you integrate all aspects of your personality to become a fuller, richer person later in life. He said that in youth we develop a social façade that helps us to get along well at school and work, but it can limit us as we continue to develop. In mid-life we may abandon some of the restrictions of our socialized persona, and find ways to pursue the things that really matter. Our new sense of self can help us see an entirely different set of career options.
• Many examples illustrate the trend. Financial journalist Kerry Hannon writes about Americans between the ages of 44 and 70 who have launched “second act” careers. She has interviewed dozens of the estimated 8.4 million Americans who have moved from the traditional job track to an entirely new career that combines income with personal meaning and social impact. In her book “What's Next” Hannon offers fascinating portraits of 16 people who have changed career paths later in life.