It’s
little over five years since I have been working with
Project Management Institute (PMI) now. The time
has flown by like a breeze. It was my dream to work for a non-profit
organization, and I am living that dream. I
always aspired to work in an organization where my capabilities would be
not just limited to a particular company but for a cause. And working
with PMI has allowed
me to do that. No wonder, working here does not feel like a job I have
to do, but something I enjoy. Confucius rightly
said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
One more important aspect of this stint has been my exposure
to volunteerism. I am a staff of PMI, but
the true backbone of our association are
the volunteers of PMI. These volunteers are project practitioners who work 8 to
12 hours in their respective organizations and then contribute towards the
project management profession, pro bono. This
they do, after office hours and even during the weekends. Just like
volunteers of any other organization, they too are extremely passionate and
committed individuals. In spite of their
busy personal & professional lives, they take time out to contribute and
find ways to give back to PMI and the profession. Being project managers, I
guess, time management comes effortlessly to them. But truly, it’s humbling and
heartwarming to work with them and see their dedication and sense of purpose.
Their unbridled enthusiasm is infectious and that made me plunge into
volunteerism in my own small way.
Over the past five years, through my observations and
interactions with volunteers, their feedback and my little recent forays in
volunteering with MMI (www.mentormeindia.org), I have come to realize a few learnings,
and here they are:
1. Nothing gives more joy than giving, especially
when there are absolutely no expectations attached. And I am not just preaching
and using flowery words here. I say this from the new volunteering experiences
I am gaining over the recent past. Each of us
can find a cause/s we feel strong about. Find a community or association that’s
promoting the cause (or even you can create a volunteer group on your own), and
become a volunteer with the full intention of contributing to it.
Believe me, whether a small or big effort,
it will give immense satisfaction never felt before. And no, I am not talking
about donating money or clothes (which we all do), the most important aspect of
volunteering is giving our time.
2. One can never be too busy if we want to do
something. If you are on FB and reading this, believe me, you have time.
We spend so
much time on social media (FB, Whatsapp, and Twitter) nowadays, and then we
complain, we are too busy. (Research says an average individual
spends 3 to 4 hours a week on FB). It’s about time we get a perspective of how we can use
this time more productively. Even if it means giving 1-2 hours of time every
week to any volunteering activity, maybe within your society, office,
community, cause or a nearby school. It will make a tremendous
difference to not just them but more to
our well-being. I asked one of the PMI
volunteers as to why he volunteered. His answer was as follows, “Besides the
usual, ‘giving back to society’ and ‘making a difference’ reason, I have a
selfish purpose to do so. Many a times when I face personal or professional
problems, I feel incapable and frustrated,
and there is negative energy flowing through me. But during these very times,
when I get involved in volunteering it
takes my mind away from the problems. It helps me strike a healthy balance in
life. And I will tell you how? When I volunteer, all the negative feelings tend
to vanish. It contributes to revive the
belief that I am still capable, competent and useful
and thus feel confident all over again. It provides me the positive energy which I so require at that time, which I then
plough it back in my personal or professional life. Thus, creating a right
balance.”. When I heard him say that, it opened my eyes to another positive
aspect of volunteering.
3. Many a times we crib that we have all the problems in the world, and we tend to over-emphasize on what we don’t have. I would say that if we step away from this self-victimising mould and step into the world of those of who are less privileged, it truly helps to open our eyes to how much self-absorbed and narcissistic we are. We then realise how much lucky we are to be born to the wonderful parents we have, the resources we have access to and the comfortable houses and surroundings we live in. Volunteering helps to get the big picture perspective.
4. “Everyone has a purpose in life . . . A unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.” – Deepak Chopra
I guess the above ‘Law of
Dharma’ sums up why we should volunteer.
You could have fantastic
creative abilities, specific knowledge,
or you could have a knack for teaching,
mentoring, you could be a good speaker or even write well. I say, use these talents
for furthering a social cause. I can vouch that it will double up your
happiness quotient and sense of fulfillment within you.
5. I would also urge all teachers, principals, and those working in schools to incorporate volunteering projects for students at all levels. That’s the age which is most impactful and impressionable. If we inculcate the value of volunteerism right then, it will stay with them for a lifetime. “Sharing is caring” is what we keep telling our kids, what better way than to put it into practice through a project or a school trip.
Among all the trips I have been to, in
school, the only one I truly have fond memories of, is the Social Service Camp, our school had arranged to a place called
Nere (near Mumbai). The experiences were so
different and unique, I not only enjoyed the trip at that age but now, even three decades later, I fondly
reminisce about it. Let me also add that I did a quick question survey on Whatsapp with my school friends and asked them
about their memories of the best school trip ever. Guess what! They all
mentioned the same Nere trip as their favorite one. As children,
we may not have realized that we were making any social impact by doing what we
did. But the outcome was the same. All of us had positive and wonderful
memories around it. And what is life anyway,
but a total of the varied memories and
experiences that we carry with us till we
die.
6. Volunteering can never be about, “What’s in it for me?” but for those who still have that question in mind (though it defeats the purpose), should read the below article. It sums up the benefits of volunteering in a crisp manner.
I know that many of my cousins, family members and friends
are already into volunteering, and I am profoundly proud of them and their achievements.
Sincerely urging all my friends who have yet to take up
volunteering, to just do that!
Lastly, I would like to end with a few famous quotes on volunteering by inspirational leaders.
In helping others, we shall help ourselves – Dr. Prakash Baba Amte
"The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others."
- Mahatma Gandhi
"I slept, and I dreamed that life is all joy, I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served, and I saw that service is a joy. " - Rabindranath Tagore
You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. ~Khalil Gibran
For it is in giving, that we receive. –St. Francis of Assisi
“One person can make a difference, and everyone should try” - John F Kennedy
"If you ever need a helping hand, it is at the end of your arm. As you get older, you must remember you have a second hand. The first one is to help yourself. The second hand is to help others."
-Audrey Hepburn
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give" - Winston Churchill
