Humanitarian

Common Sense – Work and the Professional Volunteer

Common Sense - Work and the Professional Volunteer

I often volunteer for a host of recreational events, but I also volunteer my time with a number of non-profit / charitable organizations. It’s a lot of time management on my part, but I think it helps me maintain a balance in my life. I can’t be all work and no play. Yet I can’t be all causes and no work either. Finding that life balance and using common sense to keep things positive I feel is a gift.

Finding that Life Balance

In the business world and in education, common sense sometimes gets uprooted by causes. Taking up a cause can in reality become a distraction toward your own professional goals if not monitored. Sometimes you have to tell your friends no, and do what is right for the organization and yourself. I am not suggesting that you stop volunteering, but rather you look at your own goals, and find that life balance.

Listed below are some good quotes to lift up those who volunteer:

  • {Research has shown that people who volunteer often live longer. Allen Klein}
  • {"Be the change you want to see in the world"...and, if you can't be that change, then either get out of the way of the person who wants to be that change or support the individual with your financial resources.--Mahatma Gandhi}
  • {Anything can be accomplished as long as you don't care who gets the credit--Unknown}
  • {When people forget themselves, they usually do things others remember.--James Coco}
  • {When giving comes directly from the heart, it can never disappoint or embarrass.--Bel Kaufman }

Listing your goals and identifying causes that match your organization is called strategic planning. You have to think in terms of “how can this cause benefit my organization and give me a personal outlet to express myself"? It is true that your personal time is your own time, but if it involves doing things that disrupts the company image – you might want to switch causes, or at least tame it down a bit.

What you do and say in your private life can directly influence your work life. Some organizations have deep set and personal relationships with non-profits and charities. Others use their resources to sponsor special events and/or educational endeavors. Know your organization, and don’t step on toes – it could be your bosses toes. Use your common sense and align yourself with organizations that have like minded causes.

How would you feel if your boss asked you to go to an event in a PR capacity, and you disliked the event? Would you tell your boss

-"no - I refuse to do it"?

-Asked to be excused and give the event over to a subordinate?

Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do for a paycheck. Know the organization you work for; know them well before you apply. Personally I haven't ran into this type of conflict, but I know others who have. It is heart breaking for them.

You don’t have to become volunteer or citizen of the year to prove you have a caring nature. Those people are professional volunteers, and work probably isn't too high on their agenda. If you are too involved in causes, your work can suffer; you need to know when to say no. You can’t expect others to carry the load for you in the office or in the field either. Again, use common sense and you can balance it.

I would love to be a professional volunteer and get paid for it. That would be the ultimate dream job. But common sense tells me that I have to have a life balance between the many causes and work. I hope you to have the common sense to know what your limitations are.

That would be the ultimate dream job

Volunteering your time and energy is a great way to give back to the community. But if the volunteering is taking too much of your time, you might want to scale it back a little. Most organizers will understand. Don’t stop completely, just don’t burn yourself out. Allow others to help out too. Find your life balance and enjoy those causes, and keep your goals on track.

 

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