Pro bono is good for your health

Maura Mazurowski, BridgeTower Media Newswires

“Pro Bono Publico” is a Latin phrase that means “for the good of the public.” For lawyers, the phrase is associated with taking on a case or helping clients free of charge.

Maybe your firm requires you to hit a certain amount of pro bono hours each year, or maybe you’re taking on such cases to keep on your managing partner’s good side. Either way, maybe you dread doing it.

But maybe you shouldn’t.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, pro bono work may not just be good for the public; it could also be good for your health. Research shows that helping others is actually beneficial for your own mental health and overall wellbeing.

Pro bono work can even benefit your physical health, as seen in a 2013 study from Carnegie Mellon University. Researchers found that adults over age 50 who volunteered on a regular basis were less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers. In case you need a refresher, high blood pressure is a pretty important indicator of health, as it contributes to heart disease, stroke and premature death, to name a few.

If that’s not enough to convince you to be a bit more altruistic, here are a few scientifically proven ways you can benefit from pro bono work:

It makes you happy

One team of sociologists tracked 2,000 people over a five-year period and found that Americans who described themselves as “very happy” volunteered at least 5.8 hours per month. According to researchers, this may be because giving gives individuals a mental boost by providing them with a neurochemical sense of reward.

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It can give you a sense of purpose.

Looking for more meaning in your day-to-day existence? Studies show that volunteering enhances an individual’s overall sense of purpose and identity, particularly if they no longer hold a life-defining role like “worker” or “parent.” So if you find yourself in the midst of a midlife crisis, drop the sports car fantasy and take on a pro bono case instead.

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It may help with chronic pain.

According to one study, people who suffered from chronic pain tried working as peer volunteers. As a result, they experienced a reduction in their own symptoms.

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It could lower your blood pressure.

There’s that term again! One piece of research showed that adults 40 year and older who volunteered for at least 200 hours a year decreased their risk of hypertension by a whopping 40%. This could possibly be because they were provided with more social opportunities, which help relieve loneliness and the stress that often accompanies it. On that note...

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It makes you more social.

And we could all benefit from getting out more, don’t you think?

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It can help you live longer.

There are more efficient ways to extend your lifespan than moving to Florida. Pro bono work may be one of them. Research has shown that volunteers have an improved ability to manage stress and stave off disease, not to mention they have reduced rates of depression and an increased sense of self satisfaction.

In conclusion: pro bono work can lead to a healthier, happier life. So consider doing it more often. If you don’t know where to begin, the Virginia State Bar can help.

This seems like a good time to end on an inspirational quote, don’t you think? I think this one from Martin Seligman, author of “Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being”:

“We scientists have found that doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested... Find one wholly unexpected kind thing to do tomorrow and just do it.”