Numerous research studies have tried to prove what every person who has ever volunteered knows to be true — doing good feels good. So, what does that hit of dopamine do for a person’s overall health and well-being?
In a study published in The Gerontologist, older volunteers were less likely to have high blood pressure than their non-volunteer counterparts. Another study targeting a younger audience featured in JAMA Pediatrics had similar findings. High school students who volunteered had better markers for heart disease risk than those who didn’t.
Research also suggests volunteering may help you live longer. A study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that over a four-year period, people who volunteered at least 100 hours per year had a reduced risk of dying compared with non-volunteers.
The benefits are clear, but incorporating this act of benevolence into your life requires time. So, who is making time to give of their own? According to United Nations Volunteers, around 57% of the world’s volunteering is done by women. And how do they fit volunteering into their calendars already filled to the brim with professional, family and personal commitments?
Let’s look to some of our female Lions to learn why — and how — they do it.
Joyce Akpata
Club: Lagos Phoenix
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Number of years as a Lion: 10
Career: Lawyer, international development professional
Hobbies: Long-distance running and traveling
Top tip for finding balance: Prioritize self-care to recharge and refresh your physical and mental health. You can’t give from an empty cup.
Why is it important to fit being a Lion into your life?
My service not only benefits those I get to help, it also enhances my own life. It allows me to enjoy valuable experiences outside my routines as a wife, mother to three young men (ages 18, 15 and 9) and working professional. It also acts as a stress release, providing a break from the demands of daily life.
Gizem Özkazman Özen
Club: Istanbul Cemenzar
Location: Istanbul, Türkiye
Number of years as a Lion and Leo: 12
Career: Environmental engineer
Hobbies: Pilates, dancing
Top tip for finding balance: Take part in projects that make you happy.
Why is it important to fit being a Lion into your life?
Being a Lion is about embracing humanity and enriching one’s sense of self. It allows me to live with integrity by dedicating myself to serving others while also managing my professional and personal obligations.
Angela Yuen
Club: Hong Kong Citizens
Location: Kowloon, China Hong Kong
Number of years as a Lion: 10
Career: Private banking professional
Hobbies: Reading, dancing, running, yoga and hiking
Top tip for finding balance: Review your personal growth and goals regularly so you remember your purpose.
Why is it important to fit being a Lion into your life?
Life is never not busy — the key is prioritizing what is important to you. Participating in service reminds me to give love to our neighborhood, our community and our home, which brings me simple happiness and comfort in my busy life.
Kathrin Bechstein-Dietrich
Club: Netzwerk Süd
Location: Private Lorch, Germany
Number of years as a Lion: 15
Career: Musical director and professional opera singer
Hobbies: Exercising, reading, enjoying cultural life
Top tip for finding balance: Learn to say “no” sometimes. Give yourself time to think things over and turn down tasks from time to time. The important thing is to maintain the joy of volunteering.
What would you say to a prospective Lion if they said they are too busy to join?
I would say that being a Lion is a wonderful opportunity to be involved in important service projects and a great way to make new friends. I’m fully engaged in my professional life and also a wife and a mother, but it’s possible for me.
Dr. Sangeeta Kumar
Club: Bhopal Wing
Location: Madhya Pradesh, India
Number of years as a Lion: 1
Career: Professor, entrepreneur, corporate trainer, author
Hobbies: Traveling, writing, poetry, educating disadvantaged youth
Top tip for finding balance: Manage your time wisely. I strive to devote, at minimum, one hour each day to my work as a Lion.
Why is it important to fit being a Lion into your life?
Although I have a busy life with my responsibilities as a daughter, wife and mother, and with my professional pursuits, being a Lion is a way I can give something back to society. It's the best way to serve the purpose of my life, and I love devoting time to it.
Dr. Patricia Grant
Club: Chicago Central
Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Number of years as a Lion: 3
Career: Senior vice president of research adjunct assistant professor
Hobbies: Reading the latest nutrition and exercise studies; strength training, walking and bike riding; spending quality time with her son and partner
Top tip for finding balance: Involve your family. Doing service together as a family allows you to contribute while spending quality time with loved ones.
Why is it important to fit being a Lion into your life?
It’s easy to get caught up in the daily grind but life is about more than just checking off boxes on a to-do list. Engaging with the Lions’ mission helps me slow down and gain a greater sense of purpose and perspective beyond my own life and its daily demands.
Jenny Maxse is the senior editor of LION Magazine.
