VOLUNTEER MENTORS. CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING.

ALTRUISM AND HAPPINESS OF MENTORS

Accelerate your business with these expert tips "Volunteer mentoring. Corporate volunteering." Analyse and discover this TIP!

Many companies and corporations promote volunteering among their employees, and many do so to support entrepreneurs. The corporate volunteering could remain a simple image laundering of large companies, but it can really The value of such support from organisations such as mentorDay which has been promoting this type of programme for many years, and relies on proven technology and methodology to make them really work and consume the minimum of people's time with the maximum of impact.

Numerous psychological studies show us the importance of helping others in order to be happy. For this reason, many companies promote volunteering among their employees, in the same way that can promote healthy and sustainable lifestyles. It is part of our human nature to want to help others, for example if you have children you cannot help but want to help them. The same should be true for other people and also for the other beings around us.

People with years of experience working in companies accumulate knowledge that is very valuable for entrepreneurs. For this, and much more, it is important for all of us to volunteer, that's why mentorDay we take advantage of the technology to improve work that the volunteers carry out with those most in need, focusing on entrepreneurs in Spain, LATAm and Africa. When you set out to be altruisticIt is easier to understand the other person's point of view, by being more empathetic and seeking the benefit of those around him.

But altruism is more than an act. It is the motive, thinking that turns to the welfare of the other. When at some point in the day you stop thinking about the body, about successes and failures, It is much easier to selflessly support someone in need of help, cooperate on behalf of others or simply rejoice in the success achieved by others and more specifically by the entrepreneur you mentor. Stefan Kleinauthor of the book "The Generous Revolution, ensures that the altruism frees from depression and loneliness; that the generosity makes you feel more happy, providing confidence and happiness.

The unifying concept, most pragmatic of all, is the altruism: if we start with the concern for others, we will move towards an economy of positive solidarity (which should be at the service of society and not the other way around). If we start with the concern for others, we elaborate social justice reforms to reduce inequalities that have increased in rich countries; but especially, if we start with concern for others, we will truly care for future generations.

"Each of us has to decide whether we want to walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness"..

Martin Luther King, Jr.

ALTRUISM and happiness of volunteer mentors

Altruism is a word coined by Auguste Comte in 1830 and which retains a certain kinship with philanthropy. It means something like giving or sharing time, money, food or anything else with others. Diligence in procuring the good of others even at the cost of one's own!Nowadays there are many altruistic people who give of themselves without asking for anything in return! Altruism is fundamental to what we consider ourselves to be, a human being. A "whole human being" is a human being who is altruistic of course.

The individual and altruistic individuals, are fundamental, so that our society to be truly humane... Therefore, altruism is necessary for well-being to spread across the face of the Earth. If we are to have peace, well-being, equity and fraternity on this planet, we need the individuals who make up society to be altruistic.

Thus, the opposite of altruism is selfishness:

Selfishness: immoderate and excessive love of self, which makes one pay disproportionate attention to one's own interests, without taking care of the interests of others. But it indicates something more than money and tangible goods. When you are indulgent and kind to people, you also show generosity of spirit. That is the root cause of the improvement and, is the mentorDay's goal is to make all human beings aware of their power to improve the world.

For years and years, MentorDay is about driving experienced managers, business people and entrepreneurs towards a society that is capable of generating positive change, and on a large scale. That is why, year after year, they identify these agents of change, support them and connect them to grow and inspire more people. Altruism contributes not only to the happiness of others (the entrepreneur we accompany) but also to our own happiness as mentors. 

According to the University of Chicago psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the level of happiness increases as a person becomes more altruistic, because when we dedicate our time to others we enter a level of fluidity that makes us forget about ourselves and our worries. This result coincides with others where greater happiness correlates with actions of helping others and promoting this virtue. Such is the case of the work carried out by Elizabeth W. Dunn, of the  University of British Columbia, in which money was given to volunteers, they are The money was instructed on how to spend it and its degree of personal satisfaction was then measured. Spending money on others has been shown to generate more happiness than spending money on oneself. Altruism, the researchers conclude, puts happiness on the track of much more than the pursuit of pleasure.

The benefits of altruism:

Those who get involved in activities such as volunteering always claim that by helping others they receive much more than they give, Why is that? Mental health experts seem to already know the answer.

IMPROVEMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH:

• PROMOTES PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE BRAIN ASSOCIATED WITH HAPPINESS:

Periods of increased activity are often followed by longer periods of calm and can ultimately lead to increased well-being. Helping others improves social support, leads to a more physically active lifestyle, distracts us from our own problems, allows us to engage in meaningful activity and improves our self-esteem and competence.

• BRINGS A SENSE OF INTEGRATION AND REDUCES ISOLATION:

Being part of a social network leads to a sense of integration. Interpersonal activities such as volunteering in a drop-in centre can help reduce loneliness and isolation.

• HELPS TO GAIN PERSPECTIVE:

Helping those in need, especially those who have been less fortunate than ourselves, can provide a more realistic perspective and make us realise how fortunate we are. This allows us to stop thinking about what we are missing and helps us to take a more positive view of what might be causing us stress.

• IMPROVES CONFIDENCE, CONTROL, HAPPINESS AND OPTIMISM:

An act of generosity, too, can encourage others to repeat the good deed they have done and contribute to a more positive community.

• THE MORE YOU DO FOR OTHERS, THE MORE YOU DO FOR YOURSELF:

Evidence shows that the benefits of helping others can last long afterwards by providing a "bank" of pleasant memories that can be recalled in the future.

PHYSICAL BENEFITS:

• REDUCES STRESS:

Helping others contributes to good health. Positive emotions reduce stress and strengthen our immune system and thus protect us against illness.

• DIMINISHES OUR NEGATIVE FEELINGS:

Negative emotions such as anger, aggression or hostility have a negative impact on our mind and body. Engaging in all kinds of acts of generosity can help diminish these feelings and stabilise our overall health.

• HELPS US TO LIVE LONGER:

Giving and helping others may extend our lives. Studies of older people show that those who give support to others live longer than those who do not.