'I'll work for as long as I can': This 101-year-old Ohio woman still cuts up fabric at a local craft store even though she doesn't need the money. Here’s why she may be onto something

Burns works at the craft store part-time, four days a week. And it’s not because she can’t financially stop working.

“I enjoy what I do, so I want to keep doing it,” she tells CNBC. “I’ll work for as long as I can or as long as they’ll have me.”

Working into your older years is a nightmare for many, but Burns says it has prolonged her life and happiness. And research shows that Burns’ approach to a long career is also the way to live a longer — and richer — life.

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Prioritize a social life

Burns told CNBC that she tried to retire from her career as a bookkeeper several times in the 70s and 80s, but it never stuck. She missed lunch with her coworkers and meeting new clients. Without a social life, she felt a lot more lonely.

Turns out that Burns is onto something. Pennsylvania State University research found that when 70- to 90-year-olds have more “frequent, pleasant social interactions,” their cognition tends to improve over the next day or two.

It’s not just work that can give you that improved cognitive function, you can also get it from volunteering. A University of Massachusetts Boston professor’s gerontology research found that volunteering gives older adults a “sense of purpose” and is a “powerful way to improve their well-being.” One experiment found that on the days participants volunteered, they reported less stress, depression and anxiety.

Stay active

Working at 101 years old may sound exhausting, but Burns says it’s quite the opposite.

“Staying busy keeps you from focusing on your aches and pains,” she told CNBC. “It makes it easier to keep going.”

Exercise may help you climb the ladder — some billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson and Mark Cuban credit some of their success to their fastidious exercise routines, according to CNBC reporting — but it can also help you stay at the top. Studies have shown that regular exercise helps stave off poor health, dementia and more ailments in old age.

And while that might not make you richer, it could help you stretch your retirement savings. Retirees’ in bad health can spend an estimated $315,000 in medical expenses for retirees. Though you may not be making money by keeping up an exercise routine, you’re certainly setting yourself up to save a bundle later in life.

Keep learning

One of Burns’ new friends at work is a rising college senior. The two make TikToks together that have amassed millions of views — and tons of fans for Burns. Although originally unfamiliar with it, Burns wasn’t daunted by the task of learning the social media platform, and works with her younger coworker to create content that people love to watch.