On volunteering

[eimarra]

A little backstory on how this came up: last year, I read Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project. I was so impressed, I followed her on Twitter, Facebook, and her blog. On Facebook, she often asks questions of the “Do you do X or Y?” or “Do you do X, and why?” variety. This week, one of her questions was about volunteering.

My first reaction was that I barely have time for work, writing, and family. I don’t have time for that beyond the very little I do to support my son’s band (work in the student store roughly once a month and bake occasionally). Then I wound up swamped because I was working on two different things I’d volunteered to help with (for SFWA and GSSW, two different writers’ groups I belong to), and the only reason there wasn’t a third was all the snow and ice this week (this being the week I was supposed to work the student store).

Then, thinking about it further, I realized I’m actually a permanent volunteer because I’m a moderator at the Forward Motion for Writers forums.

I always tend to think about volunteering as going somewhere on a regular basis — I’ve considered volunteering at the local library for example — but that doesn’t cover much of my actual volunteer activities. What the activities have in common, though, are that they’re things I enjoy doing, things I feel competent at. I don’t have to work in a soup kitchen or visit a nursing home or spearhead some grassroots organization. I literally can make a difference doing things that suit my personality.

Part of me still wonders if I’m cheating somehow — wouldn’t it be better to run for office in GSSW, or be active in the PTA, or . . .

Another part tells me I am being useful, an we can’t all take on the same tasks. I think that’s the part I’ll listen to.

What about you? Do you volunteer? How do you decide where to put your time and energy?

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[temporus.livejournal.com]

Funny this came up, as a volunteer opportunity just came up for me. Going to have to think about it.

Someone once told me, that when there was little going on, things often didn't manage to get done, as it always seemed there was plenty of time. But the more balls up in the air (as they put it) the less time you have to watch any one thing, you just have to keep everything in motion, and suddenly, it almost becomes easier, and you end up more productive, because you just have to do it.

It's an interesting theory that I've never *quite* managed to put into practice.

[eimarra]

I firmly believe that juggling is a better metaphor than balancing for a busy life. However, I also keep in mind that the first thing you learn when you juggle is that you will drop your balls -- a lot. ;)

Good luck making the decision on your volunteer opportunity!