Successfully balancing a career and personal life while serving on your HOA board may sometimes feel daunting, but it’s not impossible. This week, we look at some ways to achieve balance across all areas of life while meaningfully serving your community.

Time management is key.

In order to balance board member duties with other obligations, it is necessary to identify and set priorities. You can do this by creating a schedule. Set aside dedicated time each week to focus on board member tasks. When you adhere to a schedule, you aren’t conflicted by what’s most important to you when urgent circumstances arise, and you remain focused on the tasks at-hand.

By working this into your schedule in a systematic way, you can:

  • Avoid procrastination. Procrastination is a huge obstacle that affects all aspects of life. It can lead to distraction, causing you to have to work late and making it easier for you to delay tasks (or neglect them altogether).
  • Eliminate distractions.
    By minimizing distractions (such as turning off notifications on your phone temporarily), you can focus on important tasks first.
  • Take a break!
    Life is hectic. It’s important to take time for yourself when navigating all of the responsibilities you manage in the various areas of your life. It’s necessary to take breaks to recharge your body and your mind. You’ll be a more effective board member if you do!

Meet less frequently and streamline scheduled meetings.

Many associations meet more often than is truly needed. While some associations meet annually, others meet twice per year or quarterly. If your board is meeting more than quarterly, you may be able to scale back, especially when you have a proactive HOA management company like SpectrumAM by your side.

Meeting management is an area that your community manager can assist with. When preparing for a meeting, be sure to:

  • Create and agenda and stick to it.
  • Complete the most important agenda items first. Be open to tabling less urgent or new topics that can wait until the next meeting.
  • Schedule time for homeowner response.
  • Accurately record meeting minutes.

Be proactive – delegate!

By planning and thinking ahead, you can reduce or eliminate urgent tasks, which are reactive-based and cause an increase in stress. Delegate those tasks that homeowners, committee members, or your HOA management company can assist with.

Stay focused on the positive.

There will be days when things get overwhelming – it happens to the best of us. When you start feeling this way, it’s important to realign your thoughts. Think about all the good things you have going on in your life, and reflect on why you decided to serve on the board in the first place.

Below are four big benefits of serving on the board of directors:

  • Enhanced Relationships
    Serving on the board doesn’t have to be tedious. In fact, it can be quite rewarding! Interacting with members of the community can be quite an enjoyable and eye-opening experience. Relationships develop as you get to know your neighbors, and it’s a great chance to socialize and make friends while networking with others living in your own neighborhood!
  • Develop New Skills
    Leadership skills are developed and new skills are learned while serving on the board. Most volunteer board members do not possess all the management skills necessary for this leadership position. When board members share responsibilities and interests, they learn from one another.
  • Become an Informed Homeowner
    When you serve on the board, you’re able to make a difference in the neighborhood by correcting issues that may occur within the community (such as parking violations, maintenance issues, etc.). Volunteering as a board member also allows you to become better-versed in regulations and laws applicable to the HOA in which you reside.
  • Make a Difference
    Serving on the board allows you to have a positive influence in your community while adding value to your life through community service, enhanced relationships, and a better quality of living.

Serving on your HOA board is an important part of your community’s success. We hope that these tips will help remind you how to achieve balance while serving your community. At SpectrumAM, we want you to know that we value your time and appreciate your partnership. You do make a difference!