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When you spend your time volunteering, youre certainly using your time constructively.
What Is Volunteer Work and Why Is It Important?
When you volunteer, you freely give your time with no expectation of any compensation.
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Many people enjoy assisting in their community.
you’re able to also volunteer at your work place or through various charities and philanthropic organizations online.
Driven byempathy, humans put themselves in the shoes of others facing hardships and often want to help.
Volunteering enables you to feel that youre part of something greater than yourself.
You dont feellonely, isolated or alone when you volunteer.
Volunteering prevents you from worrying about your own battles and gives you a new perspective.
It also enables you to contribute positively to the world.
Mental Health Benefits of Volunteering
Behaviors that help others are often calledpro-social behaviorsby psychologists.
Helping a great cause is a pro-social behavior that can elevate your mood.
It can also affect your health in myriad ways.
Volunteering Makes You Feel Good
Giving really does make you feel good.
Your body releasesendorphinswhichHarvard Healthcalls the brains natural pain relieverwhen you volunteer or do something you enjoy.
Endorphins create a sense of well-being.
Sometimes people call what youre feeling a helpers high.
Volunteering Boosts Your Happiness
Enjoyable and meaningful activities likehelping others can increase your happiness.
They rated their overall health as better, too.
Volunteering Reduces Loneliness and Stress
Lacking human contact or feeling alone can flood your body with cortisol.
You also increase your risk of developing inflammation and heart disease as well as impairing your immune system.
Youll likely be actively walking and getting more exercise.
You wont be thinking about your troubles for a while and youll probably make new friends.
Having friends is important asfriendsoffer emotional support, build your confidence, and help you reduce stress.
When volunteering, youll also become more socially engaged.Social engagement promotes brain health.
Scientific researchhas shown that volunteering lowersdepression levels for those over 65.
So, volunteering is beneficial for seniors.
It can also have real-world effects on our bodies.
As you keep your brain and body active, you ward off cognitive decline and keep yourself healthy.
Ways to Volunteer
Volunteering by dropping off dinner for a sick friend is also valuable.
You dont necessarily have to volunteer in a consistent manner.
Dont forget that if you cant volunteer with your time, you’re able to also donate financially.
Digital Ways to Find Volunteer Opportunities
you might find opportunities in your community as well as online.
Addressing the Problem of Reverse Causality When Estimating the Wellbeing Impacts of Volunteering.Journal of Happiness Studies.
2021;22(2):599-624.
Cleveland Clinic.What Happens in Your Body When You’re Lonely?
2013;28(2):578-586. doi:10.1037/a0032718
