Eastern Region Academic Coordinators' Conference May 9-11, 2007

FOCUS ON LEARNING OPEN SPACE MEETING NOTES June 6, 2012

Topic of the Meeting: Work Life Balance

Meeting Initiator/Convener: Deanna Douglas

Recorder: Sandy Odrowski

Meeting Participants:

Deanna Douglas Gregg Peel Martha Rengifo Sandy Schlieman Michael Ferreira Jamie Smith Kathleen Johnson Janet Munn Angie Dukelow Melanie Logan Tabatha Rutledge Heather Mildon Laura Rogal-Black Tracy Van Gilst

Items Discussed:

 One member expressed that juggling parenthood and managing 21 people in industry was easier than teaching and she had lost her work/life balance.  Some felt that they have to be available at all times  Others felt that too many distractions to work from home  Sometimes other faculty “eat up” your work time because they have time but you don’t  Solution: Take the time to go out for a coffee with the person: 15 minutes  Ask for help with a work task or close up the lap top and leave—go work elsewhere.  Try humor: “if you stay here any longer –you may be put to work”  Do not take time for themselves  How do you leave work at work?  How do you control others adding to your workload by not meeting deadlines?  How do you say no?  Supportive deans help  Participants are worried --higher rate of divorce  Students have trouble with work life balance as well  Use the flexibility of your schedule to

Recommendations/Action to be Taken:

1. Work from home once a week if you feel you are most productive there 2. If you cannot work from home try finding a space where you can work without distraction (i.e. library) 3. Put sign on door available by appointment only 4. Take a direct approach 5. Take time for yourself –do something that fills you up i.e. massage, exercise 6. Schedule activities as part of your routine— 7. Make an agenda and stick to it. 8. One monkey at a time: one task at a time 9. Use a day book-prioritizing 10. Take a time management course (prioritize using A, B, C) 11. Take time for spouses 12. Speak to your family about your busy times