Life-Work Balance Workshop: Residence Life Training

The Balancing ActRepairing ‘RA Life’ and ‘Life Life’

Thursday, January 30, 14

When there is a crisis on a plane, they ask you to put your oxygen mask on first. Why? Because you can’t help anyone if you aren’t protecting yourself.













Fall Semester


Burnout is a real risk in second semester. See if you can see yourself in this RA-made video

Fall Semester



Winter Semester



The Plan

Defining and testing for burnout

3 Life Balance exercises:

Identifying Burnout Pressure Points

Helicopter View

Return On Life Energy or ROLE activity


How would you define burnout?

What is Burnout?Burnout is an extended period of time where someone experiences exhaustion and a lack of interest in things, resulting in a decline in their job performance

“A lot of burnout really has to do with experiencing chronic stress,” says Dr. Ballard, who is the head of the APA’s Psychologically Healthy Workplace Program. “In those situations, the demands being placed on you exceed the resources you have available to deal with the stressors.”


Identifying burnout pressure points

Part of the cause of burnout lies with your situation. The other part comes from within yourself - from your ideals, your ambitions and goals

This exercise gives you the opportunity to think about what you want to get out of being an RA and then to compare this with the reality the job.

Knowing these pressure points helps you to manage the situation to avoid burnout.


When you identify the mismatch, there are possible pressure points that may develop into burnout.


Step 1: List the things that give real meaning to what you do.

What attracted you to the job?

What do you find fulfilling now?

What do you want to achieve within it?

What do you think is important to doing the job well?


This will give you a long list of things that are good about what you do. Identify the the five things that give the greatest meaning to your work. The list shows you the things that you should protect as much as you can.


Step 2: Write down things that frustrate you most about your work.

List the factors that are causing you difficulty and which are likely to cause stress in the future.


Can include inadequacy of resource, lack of recognition or bureaucracy.Compare the two lists. For each item on the meaning list look at the list of frustrations.Where these threaten the things that are most important to you, note them down. These are the pressure points you need to monitor.

Plan in advance how you will handle build-ups of stress in these areas.

A Helicopter View Step 1: Brainstorm Life Areas

The roles you play in your life

Areas of life that are important to you

Step 2: Write these down on wheel.

Step 3: Assess each area


Check in on our life balance with a Helecopter view. Sometime when life is busy, or all energy is focused into a project or role, you lose sight of the bigger picture. A helicopter view can give you the distance you need to see your life balance more clearly.

Start by brainstorming the 6 to 8 dimensions of your life that are important for you. Different approaches to this are:The roles you play in life, for example: romantic partner, colleague, team member, sports player, community leader, or friend.Areas of life that are important to you, for example: artistic expression, positive attitude, career, education, family, friends, financial freedom, physical challenge, pleasure, or public service.Your own combination of these (or different) things, reflecting the things that are your priorities in life.(http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_93.htm#sthash.uy4Wtuwl.dpuf)

A Helicopter View

Step 4: Join up the marks

Step 5: Think about your ideal level - plot your ideal scores

Step 6: Take Action. Write 3 Commitments with practical 3 Actions & deadlines

“I commit to spending more time with a wider circle of friends. I will text Alan tonight & ask when he is

available to catch up.”


4. Join Up the MarksNow join up the marks around the circle. Does your life wheel look and feel balanced?5. Think About Your Ideal Level A balanced life does not mean getting 5 in each life area: some areas need more attention and focus than others at any time. And inevitably you will need to make choices and compromises, as your time and energy are not in unlimited supply!So the question is, what would the ideal level of attention be for you in each life area?Plot the "ideal" scores around your life wheel too. 6. Take ActionNow you have a visual representation of your current life balance and your ideal life balance. What are the gaps? These are the areas of your life that need attention.And remember that gaps can go both ways. There are almost certainly areas that are not getting as much attention as you'd like. However there may also be areas where you're putting in more effort than you'd ideally like. These areas are sapping energy and enthusiasm that may better be directed elsewhere.Once you have identified the areas that need attention, it's time to plan the actions needed to work on regaining balance. Starting with the neglected areas, what things do you need to start doing to regain balance? In the areas that currently sap your energy and time, what can you stop doing or re-prioritize or delegate to someone else?

Write down 3 Commitments in your work book and one action with a due date

Anyone want to share theirs?


Maximize your R.O.L.E. Return On Life Energy

Set Priorities

Learn to say no

Keep your commitments

Remember Service

Find Support Systems

Seek Counselling

Be Realistic

Make a list of things that drains your energy

Make a list of things that give you energy boots


Kate’s tips - Remember service, I get joy and job satisfaction from thinking of the community and people I’m helping- it keeps the job fulfilling, causing less burnout for mundane tasks (like doing rounds or being on call)

Find support systems - people who can listen empathetically without judgement.

Seek council - literally.

Be realistic - set realistic goals for yourself (and for others!) and keep your expectations for perfection in check. Balance is not perfection

Set Priorities - Keep a detailed calendar and see where you have extra blocks of time. Important that you do fun things with people who are important to you. Nourish your relationships. Or maybe take time to recharge

Learn to say no - without hesitation and guilt. Once you’ve set priorities, it is easier to see and say no to the things you don’t really have time or want to do. Understand that you can’t be all to everyone.

Keep your commitments - integrity is important for building self-trust and the trust of others. Be courageous and selective in the things you commit to and when you do commit, commit full-heartedly.

Right now, make a list of what drains your energy, what saps you and taps you and zaps your energy. Get down on paper all the people, tasks, processes and circumstances that you already complain about, or the ones you that make you want to scream in frustration. Then, look over the list and see which drains you can eliminate, reduce or even delegate to someone else. Take one seemingly small action today to diminish a drain. You'll notice you feel lighter, more at ease.

Jot down a list of where you get your energy gains. In other words, the activities, the kinds of people, the situations that fill you and thrill you with positive energy.

Review your lists of drains and gains to clarify what you truly desire in your work. Your drains tell you what you don't want. The negative energy you feel when you think about your drains is like having a compass in your hand. The frustration in your body signals you that you're off course, going in a direction that will take you away from your desires. To turn yourself around, look at each drain on your list, one by one, ask yourself, "What does this tell me that I do want?"

For example, I feel really drained I hear or engage in criticism. Seeing the drain helped me realize something: I feel most motivated when uplifting people. Thus my true desire is that I enjoy creating healthy, happy environments that enable people’s happiness.

Every day, take one small action to move in the direction of your desires.

Brainstorm solutions

Why are you here?


We are aiming at recommitment - Quick word association throwing around a ball, answering: ‘Why do you want to be an RA?’

Why are you here?



Why are you here?



Why are you here?



Why are you here?



Education

Life-Work Balance Workshop: Residence Life Training