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.
6 Strategies for Managing & Preventing HOA Board Member Burnout
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:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Set Goals
When board members establish specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, they can prioritize their efforts and allocate their time more effectively. This structured approach reduces the feeling of being overwhelmed by a multitude of responsibilities, as it breaks down large projects into smaller, more manageable steps. Additionally, having well-defined goals fosters a sense of accomplishment and progress, which can boost morale and motivation.
Understanding what causes burnout in your HOA Board
One of the best ways to prevent burnout is to understand what causes it. Below is a list of some of the most recent for burnout among HOA board members.
- Lack of Clear Boundaries: Board members often struggle to separate their volunteer roles from their personal lives, leading to an imbalance that can contribute to burnout.
- High Conflict Environment: Disputes with residents or within the board itself can create a stressful and contentious atmosphere, draining board members emotionally and mentally.
- Insufficient Support: Without adequate support from other board members or a lack of professional assistance (e.g., property managers), the workload and pressure can become too much for individuals to handle.
- Unclear Roles and Responsibilities: Ambiguity in roles and duties can lead to confusion and inefficiencies, causing frustration and increased workload for board members trying to cover all bases.
- Unrealistic Expectations: Both from themselves and from the community, unrealistic expectations about what can be achieved can lead to disappointment and a sense of failure.
- Financial Pressures: Managing the association's budget and dealing with financial constraints or deficits can be particularly stressful and lead to burnout.
- Time Demands: The time commitment required can be substantial, and if not managed properly, it can interfere with personal and professional life, leading to exhaustion.
- Volunteer Nature of the Role: Because these are often unpaid positions, the lack of financial compensation can exacerbate feelings of burnout, especially when coupled with high demands and stress.
- Lack of Appreciation: A perceived or real lack of gratitude and appreciation from homeowners can diminish motivation and increase feelings of burnout.
- Dealing with Emergencies: Unexpected crises, such as natural disasters or urgent maintenance issues, can place additional, unplanned burdens on board members, contributing to stress and burnout.
Final Thoughts
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!
