2. Why Should We Discuss Balancing
Home, Family and Work?
• Extension Faculty OFTEN find themselves
with conflicting demands on their time and
energy by clientele, administrators, family
expectations, and personal priorities.
Fetsch & Kennington, 1997
4. Stress Can Lead To…
• Increased alcohol
use
• Insomnia
• Intestinal problems
• Decreased
concentration
• Headaches
• Ulcers
• Nervous tics
• Infectious diseases
• Job burnout
• Suicide and much
more…
Fetsch & Kennington, 1997
5. Who in Extension is Most Likely to
Experience Job Burnout?
• 4-H agents, young agents, single agents
• Those between 20-30 years old
• Males and females
• Mostly those who are involved in youth work.
• Agents with joint program responsibilities such
as 4-H and agriculture
Fetsch and Kennington, 1997
6. What Else Could Happen?
• Negative effect on marital relationships.
• Negative effects on parent-child relationships.
• Increased health care costs.
• Married agents report that job stressors had
an impact on their ability to do the job.
Patterson & McCubbin, 1984
7. Strategies for Achieving Balance
• Scheduling
• Combining work and family
• Working flexible hours
• Setting boundaries
• Making families first
• Personalizing strategies
8. Creative Scheduling
• Use one calendar for scheduling work, family
and personal dates.
• Highlight or write family dates in ink to
prevent double scheduling.
• Place annual leave on that calendar, as well.
• Does it matter? Can it be delegated?
• 1-2 evening meetings/week.
9. Combining Work and Family
• Ask family members/close friends to assist in
preparing meeting rooms, registration, handing
out materials.
• Involve spouse/family in work related travel to
the extent that you can.
10. Working Flexible Hours
• May lead to guilt because no formal “Flextime”
policy.
• Check out working at home, as an option.
• Leaving when you “need” to.
• Check out coming in later in the day after an
evening meeting or a weekend event.
11. Setting Boundaries
• Leave work at work!
• Say no!
• Delegate!
• “Please call my office during work hours
regarding work matters…”
12. Making Family First
• Share household tasks and child care.
• Video tape children’s events.
• Communicate .
• Eat meals at unusual hours.
• Eat lunch out with spouse/other once a week.
13. Making It Personal
• Exercise
• Take your/family’s birthdays off.
• Take breaks.
• Don’t loose you annual leave, you’ve earned it!
• Add a sense of humor to everyday events.
