How to Balance Volunteer and School/Home Life
Figuring out how to balance life between school, volunteering, and home is a difficult task. It’s basically the same thing as balancing a paid job with volunteering and school. Along with my own past experiences, I will use online research to tell you exactly how to do so.
One of the first things you should do after volunteering is detach. This means not being involved in volunteer-related activities such as phone calls, e-mails, or any work-related tasks after physically leaving work. Detaching from volunteering means setting boundaries. For example, by choosing to stop checking your email after volunteer hours, you are leaving your work for the volunteer place, decreasing the likelihood of work fatigue and exhaustion. By doing this, you are improving your physical and mental/behavioural health, and you may find yourself more successful in other areas of your life you would like to improve on because setting boundaries is a great skill to have.
Speaking of fatigue and exhaustion, it is very important not to overwork or over volunteer as it could lead to burnout. According to helpguide, burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. The effects of burnout apply to every aspect of your life, not only during volunteer hours. Volunteer burnout can lead to feeling tired and drained, change in appetite and sleep habits, loss of motivation, and withdrawing from responsibilities.
Something I personally use to balance my personal life with my work/volunteer life is a to-do list. I can’t tell you how many times it has saved me from worrying about it outside of my job and how many times it could've saved me. It simply allows you to make a plan, and clearly outlines what you have to do and when so you don’t have to stress about what you're going to do the next day.
Last but definitely not least, find a volunteer opportunity that fits your schedule. What will you gain from finding a place that clashes with tasks in your personal life? Nothing to be honest.