A Life-Work Balance Workshop designed for the UFV Resident Assistants' 2014 Winter Training. Includes two burnout activities and a life balance worksheet.

1. The Balancing Act
Repairing ‘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.

2. The Balancing Act
Repairing ‘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.

3. The Balancing Act
Repairing ‘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.

4. The Balancing Act
Repairing ‘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.

5. The Balancing Act
Repairing ‘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.

6. Fall Semester
Thursday, January 30, 14
Burnout is a real risk in second semester. See if you can see yourself in this RA-made video

7. Fall Semester
Thursday, January 30, 14
Burnout is a real risk in second semester. See if you can see yourself in this RA-made video

8. Winter Semester
Thursday, January 30, 14
Burnout is a real risk in second semester. See if you can see yourself in this RA-made video

9. The Plan
Defining and testing for burnout
3 Life Balance exercises:
Identifying Burnout Pressure Points
Helicopter View
Return On Life Energy or ROLE activity
Thursday, January 30, 14
How would you define burnout?

10. 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.”
Thursday, January 30, 14

11. 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.
Thursday, January 30, 14
When you identify the mismatch, there are possible pressure points that may develop into
burnout.

12. Identifying burnout pressure
points
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?
Thursday, January 30, 14
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.

13. Identifying burnout pressure
points
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.
Thursday, January 30, 14
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.

14. 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
Thursday, January 30, 14
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

15. 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 “I commit to spending more time
3 Commitments with
with a wider circle of friends. I will
practical 3 Actions &
text Alan tonight & ask when he is
available to catch up.”
deadlines
Thursday, January 30, 14
4. Join Up the Marks
Now 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

16. Thursday, January 30, 14

17. Maximize your R.O.L.E.
Return On Life Energy
Set Priorities
Be Realistic
Learn to say no
Make a list of things that
drains your energy
Keep your commitments
Remember Service
Make a list of things that
give you energy boots
Find Support Systems
Seek Counselling
Thursday, January 30, 14
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.

18. Why are you here?
Thursday, January 30, 14
We are aiming at recommitment - Quick word association throwing around a ball, answering:
‘Why do you want to be an RA?’

19. Why are you here?
Thursday, January 30, 14
We are aiming at recommitment - Quick word association throwing around a ball, answering:
‘Why do you want to be an RA?’

20. Why are you here?
Thursday, January 30, 14
We are aiming at recommitment - Quick word association throwing around a ball, answering:
‘Why do you want to be an RA?’

21. Why are you here?
Thursday, January 30, 14
We are aiming at recommitment - Quick word association throwing around a ball, answering:
‘Why do you want to be an RA?’

22. Why are you here?
Thursday, January 30, 14
We are aiming at recommitment - Quick word association throwing around a ball, answering:
‘Why do you want to be an RA?’