Digital Wellness Through Volunteering: Reclaim Your Time and Make a Difference

Welcome to our volunteer guest blogger, Kathryn Tarquini. Thank you, Kathryn, for sharing your expertise and knowledge in this article!

Digital wellness through volunteering is more than a buzzword—it’s a path toward balance. Social media keeps us informed and connected, but it can also leave us overwhelmed. If you’ve ever felt drained by digital overload, you’re not alone.

Social Media: Connecting or Isolating?

You may have heard about taking a “digital detox” or reducing time online. Ironically, many of these messages are found on social media. After all, you are on social media right now reading about it on Activate Good, so there’s something good about it! As a volunteer through Activate Good, you become part of a powerful solution to digital burnout and negative news.

Embracing Digital Wellness Through Volunteering

A great way to start enjoying a healthy balance is to be aware of why you are on social media. Then, use tools or apps to see how much time you spend online. Those nuggets of knowledge may be interesting, but do they add meaning to your life? Is it worth the time you spent?

Make the most of your time by using social media to drive meaningful change. For example, watching a video about a mobile shower station for people experiencing homelessness might be inspiring. But did you know you can bring that inspiration to life by connecting with Triangle-based ReNew Mobile Showers through Activate Good? Similarly, you may enjoy reading posts about creative ways to organize your home. Why not take those ideas offline and into action? Activate Good can connect you with Wake County’s Tools4Schools to help organize their donations.

No More FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

It’s common to learn about events or news on social media, where things move fast. That’s why the fear of missing out is real—it’s easy to feel like everyone else is in the loop but you. To counter this, set sites like Activate Good and others that promote positivity as a favorite on your social media platforms. Subscribe to our emails so you are notified of events. When you find an event you are interested in, add it to your calendar or to-do app as soon as you see it. This approach will free up your brainpower to be creative and enjoy relationships, rather than being a walking memory bank.

Combat Negative News

While it’s essential to be informed about current events, it’s equally important to recognize when our stress arises from events we cannot control. A great antidote to this type of stress: Digital wellness through volunteering. ! Scientists know that when we turn our attention to others and help them, our stress goes down. Activate Good is a great starting point for your journey to making an impact through volunteering and civic action. Activate Good connects you with hundreds of volunteer opportunities that not only help lower your stress but also help build up others in your community. It’s a win-win!

Move Connections from Virtual to In-Person

It’s no surprise that connecting with others in person helps form strong bonds. Busy schedules and living apart from friends and family make it difficult. While connecting virtually is better than not connecting at all, being a volunteer allows you to connect with others in person in a unique and meaningful way. It’s a great way to meet new people who have a shared vision – to help improve their local community.

Don’t Scroll for Stories - Tell the Story

As a volunteer, you’ll collect real-life examples of how you are helping to make a difference in your community. So, why not share them online? It’s a refreshing way to connect with others and spread positive news. Instead of sharing memes about how to live with joy and fulfillment, show the world how it’s done as a volunteer.

Change

Changing your social media habits may feel uncomfortable at first. However, 2024 research found that when people took a digital detox, it was less challenging than they expected, and many reported feeling positive and relieved. You can ease that transition by scrolling less and volunteering more.