Plan a Monthly Gathering

Quick Win

Use the First Friday concept for your social calendar. Standing invitations are a great way to stay connected to friends.

Try This Today

• Draw up your invite list. Think about a group of friends you’d like to get together with on a regular basis.
• Brainstorm activities. Choose an activity and location that allows for conversation and laughter. Game night, brunch, lunch in the park? Dinner or drinks at a favorite restaurant.
• Schedule it. Find a monthly time that works for most of the group, most of the time. First Fridays? Third Thursdays? The last Sunday of the month? Have everyone put it on their calendars, and send a reminder a few days before.

Why

Having a regular gathering on the books removes the challenges of coordinating multiple schedules. And connecting with friends on a regular basis isn’t an indulgence — it’s important for maintaining good health, including as we get older. Research indicates that having high-quality relationships may improve mental health and make people more resilient to the effects of stress. Social support may even contribute to longevity, according to findings from the observation arm of the long-term Women’s Health Initiative study published in Menopause in 2019. Analyzing data from more than 90,000 women ages 50–79, researchers found that those who felt they had high levels of social support were less likely to die prematurely.