Well, there's a lot that RAs do other than bust your parties and tell you to study more.
I was an RA at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on campus for 2.67 years and am finishing my semester as a virtual RA from my parents' house.
So I know a thing or two about the job.
One of the hardest parts of being an RA to get used to is the lack of a separation between work and home. As an RA your work is your home and your home is your work. So now that the world has been flipped and working at home has become the necessity for majority of the globe, I thought I would share some tips and tricks to navigating this weird world.
1. Dedicate different spots in your home for work and lazy times. For me, this meant I had a desk for working on classwork, a certain chair I sat on for roommate conflicts and I lofted my bed to keep it out of mind while I was working. This helped my brain separate my job from my school work from my time to relax. For you, this could mean having a spot in the living room to do your work and Zoom meetings that's separate from where you typically watch Netflix and eat Cheeto's. If your mind has already associated the place you plan to work from with a place to be lazy, it will take a lot of work to restructure your subconscious.
2. Move spots when you change tasks. For example, I would talk to residents on my futon for intentional interactions, log them on my laptop at my desk and then move to a different part of the couch to veg for a little bit. This seems like a small detail, but it trains your brain to realize when you're working and when you can play Candy Crush for the next hour. You don't want to have those places overlap.
3. Monitor how long you are working. This can be hard since you are never really told to stop working anymore. It's always there and always staring at you, making you think you haven't accomplished enough. This is not true. You probably have accomplished enough!! There tends to always be more to do, but you don't always have to do it. That leads to Number Four.
4. Make a daily to-do list every morning. This will help you boost your productivity because it will keep your mind on what lies ahead. The key to this tip is being realistic about what you plan to do with your day. By now you likely know how to prioritize your tasks so that you do your work based on what needs done and by when. Take a look at your week and break down bigger projects so a massive deadline doesn't have you up all night the night before it's due. Then, once you have accomplished what's on your daily list, get up and do something that isn't your job. On the flip side, if you feel you haven't done enough with your day by the time you would typically be coming home, forgive yourself and let yourself finish the next day. Unless there is a major deadline or you can finish it within 15 minutes, it can wait. I promise.
5. Take breaks. This is a healthy practice no matter where you're working, but being burnt out at home just sucks in a different way. Don't let yourself get to the point of burnout by taking extra care of yourself during this pandemic. Self-care should be a priority, especially now. So be sure to get outside and enjoy the sun or read a book or take a nap. Whatever you need to do every few hours will help you in the long run.
6. DO NOT DO YOUR WORK ON YOUR BED. Research has proven this is not a good idea.
7. Be nice to yourself. These are unprecedented times, so treat yourself like you would a younger you or a best friend.
If you have questions about what this RA did or just want to know more about why I said something, let me know! I loved being an RA on campus, but it was ridiculously hard finding the balance between work, home and school once they all overlapped. I feel for all of you working at home.
♥
Christa
Smith 8 RA
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