Volunteering
Are you thinking about volunteering, but unsure whether you can manage it? Perhaps you’d like to make a difference to others, but aren’t sure how much energy you have. Or maybe you’ve been volunteering and have found that it’s now becoming too much. That can be difficult, especially if the work also gives you a great deal of satisfaction. Volunteering can provide structure, social contact and a sense of purpose. At the same time, it can also be a strain. It is therefore important that it suits your health, energy levels and limits. Volunteering doesn’t have to be a big commitment to be worthwhile.
What do you notice?
Volunteering can become difficult if the workload isn’t quite right.
You may, for example, notice that:
- if you are very tired after doing voluntary work;
- you have difficulty keeping to appointments;
- you feel you have too much responsibility;
- you do not take any breaks;
- you experience pain or tension during the activity;
- you find the prospect of social contact or crowds daunting;
- you don’t dare say no to extra tasks;
- you find it less enjoyable;
- You’re unsure whether you should stop.
Sometimes you carry on because you don’t want to let others down. But if you keep pushing yourself beyond your limits, you’ll find it harder to keep going.
