May/June 2014 Volume 10
11
Want to Live a Long Life? By Adam Metcalf, LISW
In their 2011 book “The Longevity Project”, Howard S. Friedman and Leslie R. Martin reviewed
research dating back to 1921 to explore what factors lead to a longer life. The result?
Conscientiousness appears to be the most important factor. Conscientiousness is a group of
personality traits that appear in someone who uses careful good judgment and is responsible.
Friedman and Martin propose several reasons conscientious people live longer. Conscientious
people tend to obey rules, helping them protect their health and avoid risky behavior. For example, conscientious
people are more than likely to take every dose of a medicine prescribed by their doctor, and less likely to smoke.
They are also generally healthy people. This may be due to differences in the levels of specific chemicals in their
brains. Third, conscientious people typically have happier marriages, better friendships, and healthier work
situations. Strong connections with other people and groups were found to be very important for conscientious
people. Lastly, the research revealed conscientious people tend to bounce back easier from life’s challenges
through use of healthy coping skills. This resilience was strengthened by a sense of satisfaction with one’s life and
achievement.
While some people are naturally more conscientious, the good news is conscientiousness can be learned with
regular practice. Participation in counseling here at UNM Truman Health Services can be helpful in guiding you to
become a more conscientious person. Talk to your nurse or the front office staff about scheduling an appointment
with a counselor if you’d like to learn more.
How conscientious are you? Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Am I always prepared?
Yes/No
2. Do I enjoy planning my work in detail?
Yes/No
3. Do I get chores done right away?
Yes/No
4. Do I like order?
Yes/No
5. Do I follow a schedule?
Yes/No
6. Am I persistent in the accomplishment of my work and goals? Yes/No
7. Do I ever leave my belongings around?
Yes/No
8. Do I ever make a mess of things?
Yes/No
9. Do I ever avoid my duties?
Yes/No
10. Do I ever forget to put things back in their proper place?
Yes/No
If you answered mostly yes to questions 1-6 and mostly no to questions 7-10, then you are likely a conscientious
person.
Free RAPID HIV Testing
Rapid HIV testing is available at UNM Truman Health Services
Tuesday mornings from 8:00 AM to noon and Thursday afternoons from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Please stop by during these hours. All testing is confidential. If you have any questions or
would like to schedule an HIV test, please contact Truman at 925-7286.