When you are on an association board, it can seem like a lot of work to keep up with your responsibilities as a board member. These duties can pile up, and for some people, they can be downright exhaustive. Sometimes, you may feel it takes away from your family time, and other times even time that you would spend doing other things that you love.
However, the good news here is that the board member's duties in an HOA can be shared with a range of different people. Considering how to take care of yourself to avoid burnout is vital to ensuring that you are able to serve both yourself/your family and your HOA in the long term.
The following are tips to help you prevent burnout while being part of your association that helps your community become a better place to live:
Consider Hiring an HOA Management Company
Hiring an HOA management company that allows board members to work with the management company rather than trying to manage the association completely independently and alone.
Having a management company dedicated to keeping the community in order allows board members to have time for full-time jobs (outside of the HOA), children (and their commitments to sports, music, band, art, or whatever they are into), family, vacations, and more that is going on in their personal lives.
The management company lightens the burden on board members and makes it more likely that more people will be able to handle the commitment required to be on the board.
Set Business Hours
Set business hours for your association and only expect board members to be available during those hours. For example, your board might be required to be available on Tuesdays from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Fridays from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The other days are the board members' days to do as they wish as they have jobs, families, commitments, and lives of their own.
Outline Board Member Expectations
Make it clear what is expected of your board members when they run for the initial position. Describing their duties, time commitments, how many hours per week their job will require, etc., will make it so that no surprises are levied on board members as they initially apply for the job. If someone can't handle the commitment in the description, then maybe a board member position is not for them.
Set Reasonable Goals
Complete a list of realistic goals that the board can accomplish. Setting priorities through a community poll to determine what is important to the people who live in your community helps you determine what the HOA should focus on first.
Educate Everyone in the Community
Whether you provide a workshop, online video, or articles, provide residents with insight as to how the board works. Many residents have yet to learn how this kind of thing works and what the board does to keep the community running smoothly. Facilitating conversations between community citizens and the board can help everyone remain on the same page, making fixing problems easier throughout the entire community.
Conclusions
By following the tips we've shared, you can help your board members avoid burnout so they can continue to be happy and productive members of the community. If your association is interested in learning more about association management services, contact us today!
Staff Writer
Camille Moore
Marc Rodriguez, SVP Austin
