Volunteer like your life depends on it (because it might)

By: Dakota Gillmore, 2LT, USA*

Summer is a busy time of year for many people. Whether you’re attending ball games, taking kids to the pool, or escaping for a weekend getaway, the longer, warmer days mean there’s a lot happening. Fortunately, many of these activities are good for your well-being in the sense they provide opportunities to be physically active, have fun, and interact with friends, family, and others in your community.

If the warm weather has you itching to get out of the house this summer, consider that some activities you might choose to get involved in are more helpful and healthful than others. To get involved in volunteer work, for example, is a free and potentially rewarding way to extend a helping hand to those who need support.

 

Why volunteer?

Volunteering provides vital help to people in need, worthwhile causes, and your community. While it’s clear to see how others might benefit from your help, you might be surprised to learn about the long-term benefits to your own health and well-being as a volunteer. While it’s true the more you volunteer, the more you benefit, volunteering doesn’t need to involve a long-term commitment of your time. In fact, volunteers who see their time as an extra chore or burden tend to have fewer positive benefits during their experiences. So, giving in even simple ways helps those in need—all while improving your own health and happiness.

Volunteering has benefits

1.      Volunteering is just plain good for your health.

Volunteering can help you live a longer, healthier life. People who volunteer experience lower levels of depression, stress, physical pain, and emotional distress than the general population. This is especially true for adults ages 65 and older, although volunteers of all ages experience some level of improvement.

By measuring hormones and brain activity, researchers have found that helping others is inherently pleasurable, thus supporting the idea that people seem to be hardwired for helping others. As such, volunteering is linked to living longer, making healthier lifestyle choices, and noticing increased social support and positive feelings about yourself.

      Volunteering helps build your social network.

One explanation is that volunteering improves health by encouraging social interaction and helping you develop new relationships. Social interaction, much like volunteering, has been linked to a host of positive health benefits. In addition, building a strong social-support network can buffer against stress and illness, leading to improvements in quality of life.

When you volunteer with family or friends, it can strengthen your social bonds too. It also provides a unique chance to engage with different people and connect with other volunteers who might share your interests and personal values. All told, volunteering provides a rich and rewarding opportunity for positive social engagement beyond what might be possible in other activities.

3.      Volunteering is a good way to stay physically and mentally active.

Depending on the activity, volunteering might involve a level of physical activity that promotes fitness. For example, older volunteers tend to walk more, have less difficulty coping with everyday tasks, and reduce their risk of heart disease compared to those who don’t volunteer.

Even when volunteer work involves minimal physical activity, doing good for others provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Engaging in meaningful and interesting volunteer work also can be an energizing escape from the daily routine by providing opportunities for renewed creativity and motivation that can carry over into your personal and professional life. The pride and positive identity gained from volunteering greatly contributes to how people feel about themselves, leading to increased confidence and a renewed zest for life. These benefits are potentially long-lasting, as positive feelings about yourself are associated with improved health and well-being throughout life.

4.      Volunteering can boost your career.

The summer months are an excellent time to get kids involved in volunteering too. Besides looking great on resumes and college applications, volunteering provides unique chances to learn valuable job skills and gain experience working in organizational settings. These benefits extend to volunteers of all ages, because nearly everyone values learning new skills and developing effective communication strategies.

If you or your loved ones are interested in pursuing a particular career path, try to seek opportunities to volunteer within that field of work. You’ll develop marketable skills while showing a willingness to sacrifice your time and energy to support people and communities in need. If you’re already happily working in a career field, consider how your skills can benefit others. (Just be sure your volunteer work doesn't conflict with your official work duties and takes place when you're off duty.) Healthcare professionals, for example, can make long-lasting impacts in their communities by volunteering their time at an understaffed hospital or nursing home.

Get involved!

There are many volunteer opportunities—through the summer months and beyond—to help you get involved in your community. Animal rescue shelters, national parks, food pantries, blood drives, youth activity programs, and local libraries are just a few examples that provide fun and family-friendly ways to give where you live. The best volunteer experiences benefit both the volunteer and the organization, so make sure your volunteer position will be a good fit. When the experience is mutually beneficial, volunteer work can be meaningful and rewarding.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Author -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dakota Gillmore is a 2LT, USA studying clinical psychology as a graduate student at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). Prior to attending USUHS, Dakota served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a behavioral health technician while completing a master's degree in sport and exercise psychology from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

* The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the United States Department of Defense.

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