Up until a couple of years ago, I couldn’t say no. There were so many amazing opportunities that were presenting themselves and so many great causes that needed volunteers. It was exciting to be part of so many amazing communities working for causes that were important to me. What started with a couple “yes I cans” ended up with me working myself into the groud just volunteering.
Simply put, it was just too much.
It’s no secret that volunteer rates in the United States are declining and have for some time. Everyone has their own idea as to why. Some believe it is because people are leaving their community behind for their online communities while others claim Americans either work too much or have become lazy. I have to say that there are probably many reasons and one of them is that volunteers get stretched too thin due to the lack of volunteers. That was me. It was hard to say no when you knew that it wouldn’t get done otherwise or that someone that was just as overwhelmed as you would end up doing it.
As I look back, I wish I would have noticed certain things or done things differently in order to prevent becoming severely burnout. Maybe that might have prevented me from resigning from the majority of my volunteer responsibilities or even helped me not take a several year break from blogging. Maybe you can at least learn from my mistakes.
So here are some things I learned the hard way:
It is incredibly important to determine how many hours each week you have for volunteer work before you agree to volunteer. Take some time to go through your schedule to see what is left after family responsibilities and work. Once you have determined if you have extra time available then you can sign yourself up to help others. Make sure that includes time for yourself. You cannot fill someone else’s cup if yours is empty.
Once you have decided that you do in fact have time to volunteer, make a list of which causes and/or organizations are most important to you. There is no shortage of volunteer opportunities either in your community or online. You do not have to sign up for everything that presents itself to you even if it is something that you are passionate about. There is only one of you. Make sure you can give the best of you as a volunteer by not over volunteering.
Recognize when you are being taken advantage of. There have been several times in the past that I found myself doing far more work than what I had signed up to do. I learned the hard way that there are a lot of people that will lean on anyone willing to step up and take on their responsibilities. Don’t allow this to happen to you. If you feel as though this is happening to you, speak up. If it continues, you should consider walking away.
When life gets too busy, it’s okay to take a break or resign as a volunteer. Life happens. Your family, actual job, and your mental health should come before any volunteering. If life changes happen, make sure to step away from extra commitments to make sure the most important people and things in your life get your full attention.
Volunteering is so important. So many organizations, school functions, church organizations, etc. run because of volunteers. At the end of the day though there is only one of you and you have to make sure to take care of you before you can serve others.
Don’t continue to try and pour from an empty cup.
Krista Stauffer
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