--- title: How To Make Friends Easily And Strengthen The Friendships You Have description: Friendship is a good thing. That’s hardly front-page news — but somehow we all forget how important it is. We take friends for granted. As... canonical: https://time.com/24122/how-to-make-friends-easily-and-strengthen-the-friendships-you-have/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-03-14T04:01:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T08:53:50.842Z article:section: Ideas og:title: How To Make Friends Easily And Strengthen The Friendships You Have og:description: Friendship is a good thing. That’s hardly front-page news — but somehow we all forget how important it is. We take friends for granted. As... og:url: https://time.com/24122/how-to-make-friends-easily-and-strengthen-the-friendships-you-have/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt597451fe8503769c/6986856506f2c11bc332dddc/187474473.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1500 og:image:height: 844 og:image:alt: Friends og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How To Make Friends Easily And Strengthen The Friendships You Have twitter:description: Friendship is a good thing. That’s hardly front-page news — but somehow we all forget how important it is. We take friends for granted. As... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt597451fe8503769c/6986856506f2c11bc332dddc/187474473.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How To Make Friends Easily And Strengthen The Friendships You Have > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=2492bcf8-b34e-4c0c-9837-fccef0f030ec&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=2492bcf8-b34e-4c0c-9837-fccef0f030ec&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=2492bcf8-b34e-4c0c-9837-fccef0f030ec&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Mar 14, 2014 4:01 AM UTC  Group of People Lying on Studio Floor Group of People Lying on Studio Floor Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Mar 14, 2014 4:01 AM UTC [**Friendship**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/09/5-ways-to-strengthen-your-friendships/) **is a good thing. That’s hardly front-page news — but somehow we all forget how important it is.** We take friends for granted. As we raise families we neglect friends. We don’t put in the effort to make and keep friends. And the problem is growing. **In 1985 most people said they had 3 close friends. In 2004 the most common number was zero.** Via [Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CCPII14/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CCPII14&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- This is sad, and for more reasons than you might expect. We need friends to [keep us healthy](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/01/single-important-today-live-long-happy-life/). **Lack of social support predicts all causes of death.** **Having few friends is more dangerous than obesity and is the equivalent health risk of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.** Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- You need friends for self-knowledge — because **your friends often know more about you than you do.** Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- **And friends make you happier than pretty much anything else in life.** Got three friends at work? You’re 96% more likely to be extremely satisfied with your life. Happiness is contagious. **Happy friends boost your chance of happiness by 15%. Unhappy friends decrease it by 7%.** **Each additional friend means two fewer days of feeling lonely every year.** Family members don’t even move the needle here. Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- **Having a friend you see on most days is the happiness equivalent of an extra 100K a year.** Via [Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CCPII14/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CCPII14&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- ## Marriage And Kids Aren’t Enough Researchers have been seeing a trend: **increasingly, people expect to get all their social needs met by their spouse or partner.** **This is a prescription for disaster.** It’s too much pressure for a spouse and there’s much that we can only get from friends. [**Nobel Prize winner David Kahneman**](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00555X8OA/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00555X8OA&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20) **did research showing time with friends is more enjoyable than time with spouses or children.** Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- Not that there’s anything wrong with spouses and kids but time with friends does not involve the same responsibilities — and we all need a break. Beyond that, **time with friends as a couple has been shown to improve long term relationships.** Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- ## And You Will Lose Friends Within seven years, half of your close friends will not be around anymore. Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- So if you want to keep close friends in your life, it’ll [take some effort](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/10/what-makes-you-click-with-someone-else/). But what do you need to do? Here’s what some of the latest research has to say. ## What To Do **Most importantly,** [**make the time**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/09/5-ways-to-strengthen-your-friendships/)**.** What are the most common friendship fights about? Time commitments. Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- **This is also the part of friendship that makes us happiest — doing things together.** Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- Mere proximity — **being nearby, is one of the most powerful drivers of friendship — far more than personality.** So be around. Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- What [else do you need to do](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/5-secrets-clicking-people/)? **Be patient.** If you’re not willing to be bored sometimes, you can’t have friends. Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- **Be flexible.** Having social skills means adapting to your environment, not stubbornly “being who you are.” Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- And this one is key: **Support the person’s view of themselves and make them feel good about their pursuits.** Via [Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UBQU04/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B009UBQU04&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20): --- > “” --- My theory on this: be a cheerleader for your friends. [**Be their biggest fan**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/02/great-workplaces-making-friends-networking-dealing-kidnappers-happy-common/)**.** This is what we all want from our friends. And the more you give it, the more you will get it yourself. **Join 45K+ readers.** Get a free weekly update via email [here](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD). Related posts: [How To Make People Like You: 6 Science-Based Conversation Hacks](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/how-to-make-people-like-you/) [Top 10 FBI Behavioral Unit Techniques For Building Rapport With Anyone](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/11/rapport-building-skills/) [Recipe For A Happy Marriage: The 7 Scientific Secrets](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/recipe-for-a-happy-marriage-2/) _This piece originally appeared on_ [_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/)_._ ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/24122/how-to-make-friends-easily-and-strengthen-the-friendships-you-have/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/24122/how-to-make-friends-easily-and-strengthen-the-friendships-you-have/"},"headline":"How To Make Friends Easily And Strengthen The Friendships You Have","datePublished":"2014-03-14T04:01:54.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:53:50.842Z","description":"Friendship is a good thing. That’s hardly front-page news — but somehow we all forget how important it is. We take friends for granted. As...","url":"https://time.com/24122/how-to-make-friends-easily-and-strengthen-the-friendships-you-have/","keywords":["relationships","Psychology"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt597451fe8503769c/6986856506f2c11bc332dddc/187474473.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt597451fe8503769c/6986856506f2c11bc332dddc/187474473.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Friends","caption":"Friends","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/relationships/","name":"relationships"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/24122/how-to-make-friends-easily-and-strengthen-the-friendships-you-have/","name":"How To Make Friends Easily And Strengthen The Friendships You Have"}}]}] ```