Living in
today’s age of technology with luxuries like high speed internet, accessible
ways of transportation, and various forms of entertainment at our fingertips,
it’s easy to get caught up in a fast-paced lifestyle. We now have access to more places,
assignments and activities than ever, and before you realize, the day is done. Work all day, squeeze in a workout, make
dinner, catch your favorite TV show (if you’re lucky), then fall asleep –
exhausted! At least that’s how it goes
for me. Time flies by.
Studies
prove that volunteering makes you
feel as though your time is being used more efficiently than if you use it only
for yourself. A 2012 study
from researchers at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania,
Yale’s School of Management and Harvard Business School has shown that people
who spend time on others are more likely to feel they have extra time
themselves. You can
actually feel less time constrained by doing something good for others,
primarily because you know, for a fact, that your time is not being wasted.
Researchers asked two groups of participants to perform different tasks: one spent 10 minutes on themselves, the other
group spent 30 minutes lending a hand to a worthy cause. For example, helping
someone with a task versus leaving a meeting early. They found that those who
helped others were left feeling like they had more time, or in research terms, had
“time affluence.”
Volunteering
will make you feel more useful, accomplished, and give you something to be
proud of! Making others feel good will
make you feel good too, and in turn you will realize you have all the time you
need! What better reason to volunteer?
By Emily Boeglin
