Being of Service image by Jackson David
“The true currency of life is time, not money, and we’ve all got a limited stock of that.” -Robert Harris
I immediately thought of this quote when contemplating the idea of “being of service”. Why are people so deeply affected or touched by being on the receiving end of an act of service? Of course there is the obvious place to look, what the actual act is, which can definitely indicate a greater or smaller impact. The real answer, however, is time.
Time
Time is the one thing we really can never have enough of. People are always looking for ways to “manage” it, figure out the best use for it, balance it, etc. To be of service is to give away some of your own time to do something for someone else. Even if you’re not exactly doing something completely different from what you would have already been doing, taking the time to consider someone else’s needs above your own is truly transforming that moment.
Service in Life
Being of service doesn’t just mean taking large portions of your time to volunteer or donate money to causes that need it. Those things are amazing if you have the capacity, but being of service starts with the way you interact with folks in your every day life. Making sure you are easy and pleasant to work with, being kind and present to anyone you interact with, and simply picking moments to show appreciation for others are all brilliant ways to be of service.
I want to clarify that being of service should not be at the expense of your own well-being. Of course you are giving some of your time to someone else but it is important to take moments to concentrate on your mental health as well. You might be wondering, why is he going on about taking time for yourself when he’s writing about being of service to others? Well consider this, when you’re upset or angry or even just a bit drained, and you bring that energy into a voiceover gig, do you really think you’re offering your best self in that moment?
Quality of Time, Quality of Service
Of course not! Taking care of yourself is the first step to showing up for other people. I don’t mean just showing up physically. Really showing up. Being present. Being able to collaborate and work for and with others toward a common goal. If time is the currency of life as Robert Harris said, think of the quality of that time as the various denominations. You want to make the most of your time? Work to support your own mental health, build up that energy, then spend quality time being considerate and of service to others.
There’s only one you. Which version of you other people are going to get is up to you!