9 Ways to Make a Difference Without Leaving Your Computer

This Saturday is Make a Difference Day, a time to volunteer and give back to your community.

But if you're already booked this weekend, and don't have the time for a big project you can still help out, even if you don't want to leave your house.

See also: 30 Photos That Capture the Best Moments of People's Lives

You can make a difference in the time Netflix gives you between shows.

1. 

   1. Tackle a troll, discretely.

   If you see someone posting offensive things on Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr, don't call them out in a public comment. That would probably make them defensive which can lead to even more offensive comments.

   Instead, compose a calm, but direct private message on why you think they should delete their message. Remind them to think about what they post in the future. You might get more anger in response, but at least you make them stop and think.

2. 

   2. Offer specific help to a Facebook friend.

   If you see someone who's constantly posting about their school stress, offer your tutoring services. Or maybe they announced a move. In that case, agree to help someone move.

   Suggest a night in when they sound like they could use the company -- or a night out when the Candy Crush notifications get a little too heavy. Just the smallest gesture on your part can make a huge difference.

3. 

   3. Let your Tumblr followers know your ask box is open if they need it.

   It might seem strange to offer a shoulder to lean on to a stranger, but just offering to be a person to listen to someone's problem can help them feel less alone. In the most severe cases, you might consider posting the numbers to suicide and depression hotlines. You never know who might need them.

4. 

   4. Favorite and retweet a call to action you care about.

   You may not be at a point in your life where you have the time to volunteer for Habitat For Humanity or travel to another country to help international relief efforts. But by retweeting the calls for volunteers you can help connect those who are able to.

5. 

   5. Start work on a charity-themed Youtube video for the Project for Awesome.

   The Project For Awesome is a Youtube event held for two days every December when users upload videos about their favorite charities. People watch and vote on their favorites, all the while donating money to P4A. The top videos are calculated and the money raised is split between them. It's never to early too start researching charities and planning your video.

6. 

   6. Share a cheesy or inspirational quote ... but only every once in a while.

   Sure, they plague our feeds, but you never know who might need them.

7. 

   7. Instagram your volunteer project before and after.

   This one might steer you away from the computer for a bit, though you could snap a pic of yourself performing house-bound good works, like donating a portion of your overcrowded close to Goodwill or boxing up some of your novels for a book drive.

8. 

   8. Donate to an IndieGoGo project you believe in.

   If you don't have any money to give, support the project by promoting it through your social media accounts.

9. 

   9. Sincerely compliment someone's photo.

   It only takes a minute.

Image: Flickr, Cory Doctorow