Tim’s Thoughts August 2022
Work/Life Balance??
As summer is quickly slipping by and school will be beginning soon I hope that each of you were able to get away from the office for some relaxation and summer fun. During the month of July, I had two occasions in which I was able to do just that, first was an annual father/son golf tournament in West Virginia. My son and I enjoy the opportunity to spend three days together and competing in the tournament together is something that I treasure. My family also spent our annual week at the Outer Banks as well. As I was sitting watching the waves come and go at the beach it reminded me of how important a solid work/life balance is. To be truthful I have a lot of work to do in regards to obtaining a better work/life balance. Today’s technology has only exasperated the issue as we are constantly within reach of the office. Our elected officials have become accustomed to calling any day or time expecting a response and with more staff working at least partially at home finding the appropriate balance is more difficult than ever.
The Mayo clinic provides us with some tips to consider:
Set limits
If you don't set limits, work can leave you with no time for the relationships and activities you enjoy. Consider these strategies:
Manage your time. Give yourself enough time to get things done. Don't overschedule yourself.
Detach from work. Working from home or frequently using technology to connect to work when you're at home can cause you to feel like you're always on the job. This can lead to chronic stress. If you work from home, dress for work and have a quiet dedicated workspace, if possible. When you're done working each day, detach and transition to home life by changing your outfit, taking a drive or walk, or doing an activity with your kids.
Caring for yourself
A healthy lifestyle is essential to coping with stress and to achieving work-life balance. Eat well, include physical activity in your daily routine and get enough sleep. In addition, aim to:
Relax. Regularly set aside time for activities that you enjoy. Hobbies can help you relax, take your mind off of work and recharge.
Volunteer. Research shows that volunteering to help others can improve your connections with others, as well as lead to better life satisfaction and lower psychological distress.
Develop a support system. VLGMA is here to support you. Our members and our Senior advisors are key resources for all of our members and can provide support when we need it.
As local government leaders we often find ourselves working to take care of the citizens who we serve. It is so important however to remember to take care of ourselves as well.
I would like to welcome new members:
· Steven Yob, Deputy County Manager, Henrico County
· Matthew Chafin, Deputy Director of Finance, Henrico County
· C. Michael Schnurman, Assistant to County Manager, Henrico County
· Paul Harvey, Director of Comm Dev/Assistant County Administrator Campbell County
· J.R. Powell, Deputy County Administrator Henry County
· Benda Wynter, City Manager, City of Lynchburg
· Michael Rogers, Interim City Manager, City of Charlottesville
· Chris Cullinan, Finance Director, City of Charlottesville
· James Freas, Director of Neighborhood Dev. Services, City of Charlottesville
· Krisy Hammill, Director of Budget & Performance Management, City of Charlottesville
· Mary Ann Hardie, Director of Human Resources, City of Charlottesville
· Stacey Smalls, Director of Public Works, City of Charlottesville
· Jason Cournoyer, Town Manager, Town of Lovettsville
· David Brown, Assistant City Manager, City of Fredericksburg
· Matthew Perkins, Assistant Town Manager, Town of Altavista
· Kara Rodriguez, Public Information Officer, Town of Leesburg
· Shawn Crumlish, Executive Director, Virginia Resources Authority
· Stephanie Jones, Director of Compliance, Virginia Resources Authority
· Ramona Wilson, County Administrator, Mathews County
· Bradley St. Clair, Assistant County Administrator, Montgomery County
· Andrew Cahall, PhD. Candidate