How to Volunteer While Working Full Time
A nine-to-five job can take a lot out of you physically, spiritually, and emotionally. This is especially true if you have a long commute to and from work, are studying part-time, and/or caring for children or a family. Even so, making time in your busy schedule to do some volunteer work not only benefits the organization you’re helping but also you and your family. Read on to find out how to volunteer while working full time and the many benefits of doing so.
Key Takeaways
- Volunteering improves your physical health by lowering your blood pressure.
- Volunteering boosts your mental health by reducing stress and feelings of depression.
- Doing volunteer work improves life in your community, helping to make it a better place to live.
Why is Volunteering Important?
Many non-profit organizations rely on the help of volunteers. Without enough volunteers, some organizations would have to cut back their services, cancel events, or even shut down. Needy people would miss out on the chance to connect with a mentor and friend who could help them make important life changes that would set the stage for future success.
A shortage of volunteers doesn’t only impact socioeconomically disadvantaged people who rely on local charities. It also affects your own quality of life. City and state parks may not be able to organize free, fun events for kids without the help of volunteers. Trash may accumulate in your neighborhood if volunteers aren’t able to join a clean-up day. Furthermore, people who pass by volunteer opportunities also lose the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and make new friends. They miss out on the chance to learn new skills. They also lose out on the many health benefits that come with volunteering.
Find Volunteer Opportunities You Connect With
There are plenty of volunteer opportunities in any city or state. Start by considering your schedule to see when you’d be available to engage in volunteer work. You’ll also want to consider travel time to and from the project. If you have only short periods of time to help out, don’t despair. There are virtual volunteer opportunities that allow you to help out from home. Some, such as praying for new mothers dealing with an unexpected pregnancy, can be scheduled around other activities.
Once you’ve considered your schedule, take some time to think about which causes you’re passionate about. If you love pets, for instance, you may want to volunteer at a local pet shelter. Alternatively, you may want to foster one or more pets until they find a permanent home. If you love kids, consider helping with a bottle or diaper drive for new mothers. If the rising cost of food bothers you, you may want to help out a local food bank.
Ways to Educate Your Employers on the Benefits of Volunteering
Taking time off work to volunteer isn’t unrealistic. In fact, many companies have discovered that skills-based volunteering not only benefits non-profit organizations but also for-profit businesses. There are many volunteer opportunities that help volunteers learn new skills that could benefit the workplace. These may be practical skills such as learning to use a particular software program. They may also be “soft skills” such as communication skills, teamworking, and problem-solving.
If you work for a large company, consider talking to your HR department about using volunteering to augment their training programs. Giving trainees additional opportunities to practice what they’ve learned in a new setting can improve their skills.
It can also boost their self-esteem. This in turn boosts workplace morale and job performance. If you work for a small business, you may need to talk to the business owner or manager. Bring along some research showing how volunteering can help your business and its workers. Offer some suggested volunteer opportunities in line with your business’s core values. Be open to your boss’ suggestions, as he or she may choose to partner with a different organization than the one you had in mind.
How Volunteering Improves Work-Life Balance
It may seem like volunteering disrupts the work-life balance, especially if you’re only able to do volunteer work during your free time. However, the opposite is actually true. Many volunteer opportunities involve physical exercise, which benefits your physical and mental health. What’s more, since you know people are relying on your help, you’re less likely to allow this time to be squeezed out of your schedule. Volunteering also helps you connect with like-minded individuals, make new friends, and spend more time with people you enjoy being with. It’s easy to miss out on spending time with the people you love if you’re tired after work. However, volunteering together boosts your social life while helping improve the lives of needy people in your city.
Volunteering can also help you spend quality time with your kids. Teaching children the importance of giving back at an early age will help them grow up to be responsible, caring citizens. Doing volunteer projects as a family helps you bond while providing needed help and assistance to worthy organizations.
Bottom Line
Volunteering plays an important role in a balanced, healthy life. It improves your physical health. It boosts your mental and emotional health. It enables you to connect with people and bond with your kids. More importantly, it makes your community a safer, healthier, happier place to live and work. It connects needy people with needed materials, goods and assistance. It gives people a listening ear, mentorship, and emotional support when they need it most. The people you help, in turn, will later be able to help out as volunteers themselves.
It’s not hard to connect with volunteer opportunities in any area. Many organizations, such as Caring Network, will send regular email updates to let potential volunteers know about one-time or ongoing volunteer opportunities. All you need to do is consider the type of projects you want to help out with, assess your schedule, and contact the organization of your choice. You can even encourage your employer to help out by giving you time off work, encouraging other employees to volunteer, and/or donating money or goods to the projects. Every bit of help and assistance you can provide is worth the effort and will make a tangible difference in your life and the lives of the people you help.
