How Volunteering Helps You Deal With Empty Nest Syndrome
Adjusting to life after your children leave home isn’t always easy. Volunteering can help you move forward.
Unlike some of my friends, I didn’t feel too bad when my son left home. However, I did struggle with some unexpected aspects of empty nest syndrome. I hadn’t anticipated how this stage would affect my day-to-day life.
When I talked about how I felt to another empty nester, she told me that she had started volunteering for a local charity. She said that a lot of empty nesters did this and suggested I try it. It really helped.
How can volunteering help you get through this tricky stage?
Get a new routine
When my son moved out to go to university, I found it hard to deal with my new routine. I work from home, so I’m used to being in the house on my own for most of the day.
His arrival back from school always heralded the end of my working day. We might chat for a bit before he got on with his homework. I’d start to get dinner ready.
Once he moved out, I was left with a few empty hours at the end of my working day before my husband got home from work. I rattled around the house with nothing to do.
