Andrew Ticknor of Sioux Falls works frequently as an organizational leader and community volunteer. In the following article, Andrew Ticknor discusses how follow one’s heart to find balance in charitable commitments.

Today’s best business leaders are well-rounded individuals who are able to balance their professional commitments with their personal lives. In our increasingly diverse, inclusive, and forward-thinking society, a significant part of our personal lives is starting to include more charitable commitments, philanthropy, and volunteer work. How do some busy leaders find the time and energy to make a difference, though?

Andrew Ticknor of Sioux Falls explores below how today’s professionals are leading with heart, balancing leadership responsibilities and charitable commitments.

Andrew Ticknor says to Discover Individual Purpose

Before someone selects a charitable initiative to dedicate time and money to, they take some time to look inward and discover their “why” for participating. For example, solving a particular problem or supporting a certain cause.

Is there a passion or hobby that individuals could transform into a force for good? Articulating their personal purpose can keep individuals motivated, driven, and authentic in their approach to volunteering.

Pursuing something they love will also infuse their charitable efforts with enjoyment, making additional tasks feel more like contributions to maintaining a healthy balance between professional work and volunteer commitments.

Set Priorities

Andrew Ticknor of Sioux Falls says that it’s important to understand from the beginning what one hopes to accomplish with charitable work. This helps to appropriately allocate personal time and resources without becoming overwhelmed. Volunteers should manage their expectations, both for themselves and the individuals they will be volunteering alongside, specifically regarding the extent to which they can allocate time, finances, and energy for future contributions.

Plan a Schedule

Andrew Ticknor of Sioux Falls says that having a set schedule for personal philanthropic work will help integrate it into ones’ life without it interfering or conflicting with any professional leadership responsibilities. Consider how many hours to commit on a weekly or monthly basis.

Be Flexible

Adaptability is key. While it’s smart to have a schedule, it’s also important to recognize that life is simply unpredictable. If something major comes up at work or in your personal life, let your volunteer activities sit on the back burner for a bit without feeling guilty. It doesn’t need to be a permanent commitment, and the individual should avoid the risk of burnout by not overextending themselves. Such a situation can negatively impact all areas of life.

on the other hand, Andrew Ticknor of Sioux Falls says that when charitable commitments have a major event or challenge coming up, consider taking a personal day from work to make ample time for solving a problem that is particularly meaningful to you.

Share the Philanthropic Journey

Sharing a personal story will inspire others to commit to making the world a better place. An important part of being a good leader is leading by example. Demonstrating citizenship and charitable spirit to a professional team can teach them to prioritize doing good work in their own lives, and they will also gain respect for you as both a leader and as a valuable member of society.

Displaying one’s impact, accomplishments, and ability to overcome challenges not only humanizes the person but also showcases professional, personal, and emotional competencies that portray them as an appealing leader for the times ahead. This display might even capture the attention of potential employers down the line.

Consider Instituting a Company-Wide Volunteer Initiative

Andrew Ticknor of Sioux Falls says that when looking for personal charitable initiatives to have an even greater impact on ones’ professional life, consider instituting a company-wide volunteer initiative. Volunteering has been proven to be good for business.

For example, have the company commit to matching donations to employee fundraisers for non-profits. Or try setting up a monthly day for employees to work together at a soup kitchen. An organization can even allow employees to take a certain amount of days off from work to devote to charitable causes, in addition to (rather than instead of) their regular allotted vacation, personal, or sick days.

Andrew Ticknor of Sioux Falls maintains that such initiatives have the power to improve an organization’s entire brand image with customers and partners, positively impact employee mental health, build workforce loyalty and trust, and help employees nurture their own skill sets. Volunteer work can help people develop time management, organizational, and leadership skills of their own, which can be applied across a variety of fields and roles.

In Conclusion

Today’s most successful leaders are able to balance their professional lives with their charitable commitments by staying organized, setting a schedule, and being flexible, which keeps them motivated to devote time and energy to causes that are close to their hearts.