Benefits of Volunteering

April is National Volunteer Month and 23-29 April 2017 is Volunteer Appreciation Week. Do you volunteer or know someone who does?

Whether it is offering your time to help in a youth sports league, Scouting, a nursing home, siting on a town board, or helping a myriad of other deserving organizations, volunteering is good for your health. Studies have shown that those who volunteer on a regular basis are happier and lead fuller lives.

One such study is UnitedHealth Group’s Doing Good is Good for You: 2013 Health and Volunteering Study, they report that 76% of people who volunteered in the previous month say it made them feel better, while 94% say it improved their mood, and 78% reported that it lowered their stress level. In addition to a feeling of better personal health, 95% of the study participants reported that by volunteering they are making their community a better place.

Volunteering isn’t just beneficial to the individual it’s a benefit to employers as well. Employees who volunteer become better employees. In the UnitedHealth Group survey, about half of the respondents reported that volunteering helped them with their career. Of those who said it helped their careers, 87 % noted that volunteering helped develop their people and teamwork skills. This was highest reported career benefit. Others were developing time management skills at75% and developing professional job skills (marketing, finance, etc.) at 71%. For those who volunteered with a colleague, 64% reported that it helped strengthen those working relationships.

Wharton School Professor Cassie Mogilner wrote an article for the September 2012 Harvard Business Review about her studies on spending time helping others. She and her colleagues found that “… giving your time to others can make you feel more “time affluent” and less time-constrained than wasting your time, spending it on yourself, or even getting a windfall of free time.” So, while study participants might feel they have more time, they actually have less time after helping others although they felt more effective, which enhances their productivity.

In 2007, the Corporation for National & Community Service published a research paper titled The Health Benefits of Volunteering. This research focused on older adults from a number of studies exploring volunteering and health. The conclusion is that there is a demonstrative relationship between volunteering and good health. One interesting take away was that the level of volunteerism in a given state could be a predictor of the rate of heart disease and longevity of that given state.

So how will you volunteer?

Doing Good is Good for You: 2013 Health and Volunteering Study

You’ll Feel Less Rushed if You Give Time Away, 9/2012 HBR

The Health Benefits of Volunteering, 2007

Thinking About Renovating? The advantages of consulting a professional

(We originally published this article in March of 2014 in the Jewish Voice and Herald.)

As the calendar turns to spring, many families begin to think of sprucing up the house or maybe creating more useable space. This may entail claiming space in the basement or attic or possibly putting an addition on the house. For those who are contemplating this endeavor, the first thought is usually,

“Where can we find a builder?”

But, more pointedly…

“Should we be finding an architect first?”

While there are several answers to this question, the first is problem-solving. All building projects are three-dimensional puzzles striving for solutions. Issues needing to be solved can vary depending on the complexity of the site, zoning, historical commission, building code and interior spatial concerns. An architect is trained for critical thinking, identifying potential issues and solving problems. By listening and asking questions, an architect builds a strong understanding of your situation and then tailors solutions to your specific needs. Often, an architect offers multiple solutions beyond those a homeowner may surmise. Working with a design professional can help you identify the solution that best fits your lifestyle and your house.

We had a recent client say, “I wish I had hired you when we had built the house.” This was in reference to them working directly with a builder instead of a design professional on the blueprint of the house. The builder was simply interested in giving the clients the cheapest solution to what they wanted at the moment. The owner made the changes without understanding the repercussions of those decisions. This example is not indicative of all builders but it does illuminate why one should work with an architect to orchestrate a design and resolve all possible issues prior to construction.

Sharing your budget with your architect early in the discussion makes it easier to arrive at a solution that works realistically. If your project goals are too ambitious for your budget, an architect can inform you of such. An architect will provide a thorough set of plans that will allow builders to price a project precisely, eliminating potential extra costs down the road. Solutions worked out on paper are cheaper than building and rebuilding in the field. Products and materials specified, as well as design features, can help save you money in maintenance and operating costs in the future. A well-organized plan enhances your lifestyle and adds future value to your house.

You can ask your circle of contacts if they know of any architects and what their experience with them was like. One of the biggest compliments an architect can receive is a referral to another client. You can also check your local phonebook or search the internet for local architects. A final option is to check with your local chapter of the American Institute of Architects to see if they have a list of architects who might be suitable for your project.

Once you have a list of three or four potential architects, you will want to interview each. This is a crucial step, as you will likely be working with your architect for up to a year between the design and construction process.

During the interview, the architect will be asking questions about you, your project, use of current space, lifestyle, goals, etc. This is your opportunity to ask them about their design philosophy, process, experience, approach to problem solving and handling your particular issues. You need to be comfortable with your choice of a professional as you will be working closely with them for the next few months.

Architects are a great resource for builders and can recommend those who are most appropriate for your project size and scope. Satisfied clients are those who view their architect as a trusted advisor and guide for their project. The most successful projects are the ones that result from a collaboration between the homeowner and architect.

Why use plantings in and around a home.

I think most people are aware that plants provide the benefit of cleaning the air of carbon dioxide and replenishing the oxygen. This is a benefit both inside and outside of building. However, there are other benefits to having plants and trees in and around your home or building.

On the exterior, plants and shrubs are a nice way to soften the foundation edge and ground line against the building. Using suitable plantings in appropriate locations can also help with heating and cooling of a building. Deciduous trees planted on the south and west side of a building, provide shade in the summer to reduce the cooling load while allowing the winter sunlight through to help with the heating load. Evergreen trees and shrubs planted on the north side of a building can help provide a windbreak. Trees and shrubs can also function as a noise barrier, as well as help control soil erosion. In addition to all of these benefits, plants provide a nice view out your window and a habitat for various birds and animals in your neighborhood.

Using plants on the interior also provides benefits to the occupants. Various plants are known to remove harmful chemicals, by some estimates as much as 85% of the volatile organic compounds (VOC), from the air. Thereby helping improve indoor air quality. Plants also expel water vapor into the air during the photosynthesis process. By grouping several plants together, one can increase the humidity within a room and potentially help reduce dry skin, coughs, and sore throats, particularly in environments that use a forced air system. There are also studies that show having indoor plants can help reduce stress, increase productivity, improve attentiveness, and decrease fatigue.

Here are links to some other pages you may find of interest:

Benefits of Green Plants

Benefits of Trees

Benefits of Houseplants

Xeriscaping

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Feedback

Do you give feedback to your professional service providers? Do you freely give your opinion? Do you wait to be asked?

When your architect sits down to review drawings and sketches with you, do you say what you like and what you don’t like about the concepts presented?

Do you give your thoughts to your architect about their service to you? Do you let your architect or other service provider know when you appreciate their service? How about when they could improve their service? Why or why not?

Just as positive comments about a provider’s service can boost their moral and service, so too can appropriate constructive feedback. What is constructive feedback? Constructive feedback is commentary that is given in a helpful and sincere manner that is specific and deals with something that can be changed.

Why does feedback matter? Because, feedback is a gift that allows one to address their weak areas and work to strengthen them.

We’d like to hear your feedback about our service or about the architectural profession in general. Follow one of the links below to fill out an anonymous survey.

Architects 2 survey

Architects in general survey