There is no question about how great and beneficial volunteering is! Choosing to freely offer your time, talent, and tenderness for others is a wonderful and selfless act. While we volunteer with the goal to help others, there are actually a lot of benefits for those spreading the love too! Keep reading for my 6 top benefits of volunteering plus some ways you can help today!
1 | More Productive
Did you know giving away your time for a greater cause could actually make you more productive in your personal life? A study in the Harvard Business Review found that people who volunteered their time feel like they have more time. Researcher Cassie Mogilner stated, “The results show that giving your time to others can make you feel more ‘time affluent’ and less time-constrained than wasting your time, spending it on yourself, or even getting a windfall of free time.” When people feel they have more time they are more productive! The study stated that volunteering made people feel more useful, confident, and capable – which motivated them to accomplish even more!
2 | Less Stress
Helping others can also reduce your own stress! Over three-fourths of people who volunteered over the last year said that helping others lowered their stress levels and 94% say it improved their mood*. A study compared charitable acts with a person’s health in response to stressful life events and showed that volunteers were more resilient to the effects of stressful life events. While some might be inclined to think they are “too stressed to volunteer”, volunteering could be the very solution that can help them- and others in the process.
3 | Develop New Skills
Volunteering is a world filled with unique opportunities and growth! When you volunteer, you have the chance to learn something new. It is an encouraging environment to learn in where everyone is happy you are there and willing to help. The possibilities are endless for what you could learn through volunteering because the opportunities for volunteering are countless! It is common for people interested in going into a new field to volunteer in order to gain some knowledge and improve their skills- all while networking and helping at the same time! Construction, cooking, a new language, gardening, computer skills, and management techniques are just a few ideas that come to mind. Do not be afraid to try something new while volunteering and to see what you enjoy!
RELATED: 5 Reasons to Learn Something New
4 | Improved Emotional Wellbeing
Volunteering helps our emotional health in various ways. Research shows that volunteers score higher on nine measures of emotional wellbeing such as overall satisfaction with life, personal independence, and rich interpersonal relationships than those who do not volunteer. Additionally, volunteering has been shown to reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. Giving back allows you to focus on something positive and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Likewise, people who give back gain a new perspective and are able to have a new sense of gratitude! Gratitude for not only what they have in life but what they are capable of and the helping organizations we can be part of!
RELATED: 8 Surprising Benefits of Gratitude
5 | Healthier and Longer Life
Volunteering helps your physical health too! While 76% of people who volunteered in the last year said that volunteering made them feel healthier, research shows it does actually improve your health. Studies examining volunteers with chronic pain have found that volunteering decreased their pain intensity as well as their levels of depression and disability. Additionally, it has been shown that states with higher volunteer rates have lower rates for mortality and heart disease in general while longitudinal studies have shown that people who volunteer have a lower mortality rate and enjoy longer lives. Giving back also helps out brain health. A study found that people who volunteered for at least an hour a week regularly “were 2.44 times less likely to develop dementia than the seniors who didn’t volunteer.” By helping spread the love to others we are spreading the love to ourselves too!
6 | Sense of Purpose
When you volunteer you are making a difference! It is no surprise that 96% of people say volunteering enriched their sense of purpose in life. You are doing something meaningful for another person and creating a positive impact on the world! Volunteering reminds you that you are part of a community much bigger than yourself. You build bonds with those you are helping and also working with to help. There is a sense of belonging that comes with volunteering- especially when done on a regular basis. You have the abilities to make a positive difference and that is a wonderful purpose!
How to Volunteer
There is nothing too big or too small you can do to have a positive impact! Some of the studies mentioned above only had people volunteer for ten minutes and were still able to receive the positive impact of their actions! Here are a few simple tips that could help you get started!
-Reflect on what you are passionate about or interested in and look into a way to help or get involved! A simple Google search should come up with many opportunities for you to choose from!
-Ask a friend to volunteer with you! Not only will you have a friendly face with you, you are adding more helping hands and your friend will receive these beautiful benefits too!
-It is okay to start simple! There are many organizations that let you write letters to people in need, all in the comfort of your own home! I am a huge fan of snail mail and love spreading the love in this way! Just because this is a simple act for you, your letter will have an incredible impact on the recipient.
-Go outside your comfort zone! Apply to volunteer in a country you have never been and do not be afraid to try something new- know that you are surrounded by people who are there to help too! I applied to volunteer in another country without knowing a soul before going and it was one of the best experiences I am blessed to have had!
Giving Back for Life
Volunteering is literally the gift that keeps on giving! While volunteering does make us feel better, we are also helping others and improving the world we live in simultaneously. You may think that you do not have the time to volunteer or that you are too stressed for another responsibility. Hopefully, after reading this article you will see that volunteering for others is actually a form of self-care that helps everyone. Whether you go across the globe to help a community you have never been to or you are writing an encouraging letter from your home, you are sharing the love!
What are your thoughts on volunteering? Please comment and share what you think of the benefits of helping others and if you have experienced them yourself! I would love to hear your personal experience! If you know someone who could benefit from this article, please show you care and share the bear! Be sure to sign up for my emails and follow on social media to get the most of the positive world of Brightside Bear!
