January 2, 2014
If you’d like to give more of your time, money, or talents in the coming year, here’s how to formulate a plan that will help you follow through.
Whether it’s raising money for your favorite charity, giving tours at the local art museum, or collecting donations for the regional food bank, you’ve made the promise to give more of yourself in this coming year. And that’s a smart resolution. Besides the help it provides others, volunteering can help you meet new people and develop skills while boosting your mood and your health.
Now, how to stick with it? The key is finding something you enjoy that fits your schedule, while also identifying an organization that needs your skills.
“Doing activities that match your values—like working for human rights causes because you have a commitment to fairness—can make the volunteer work more compelling and easier to find time for,” says Caroline Adams Miller, a performance coach and author of Creating Your Best Life: The Ultimate Life List Guide. “A smart volunteer commitment can also be something you want to learn, something you want to do with a friend, or something that’s convenient.”
