~ Blog Posts Written By RAs for RAs ~
By Kiyauna Lewis
When you start as an RA, your first initiative is to be as present for your residents as possible. Although this is a great way to start, it can become incredibly overwhelming and draining, almost immediately. The last thing you would want is to deplete all of your exhilarating energy right before you officially kick off your year. Speaking as a current RA, I know firsthand what it is like to want to respond to duty situations in a timely manner, help out your residents any way you can, and focus on their comfort and well-being. It is nothing short of an immersive and exciting experience.
However, with this level of excitement comes a high risk of emotional and physical exhaustion. This can be prevented by setting boundaries as early as possible. No, this does not mean you will become less approachable, and no, it will not change the perception your residents have of you. RAs must ensure they are prioritizing themself as frequently as possible. Some days will be tougher than others, and that is okay. For the longest time, I thought being a great RA meant always saying yes, having open availability, and ensuring I go above and beyond in all of my duties. Over time, I realized that this mindset was unsustainable and sent me down a spiral of boundary burnout.
Boundary Burnout in Practice
What is ‘boundary burnout’ and how could I identify if I am experiencing it? How can I prevent it? – These are some questions I have been asked during my time as an RA, speaking about boundary burnout. The ways in which to identify if you are experiencing boundary burnout include emotional exhaustion, disassociating, and feeling checked out during important events, non-urgent late-night texts, and more. To prevent this, take time to develop boundary strategies that work. Utilizing communication in various ways, such as implementing your own “office hours,” developing floor meetings that work for your time, identifying what you deem as “urgent” and “non-urgent” situations, and reviewing your response-time expectations. There will be duty situations that are more urgent than others, and there will be times when you are off duty, and residents will rush to your door due to convenience. You must develop and instill your own rules and expectations for yourself and for your residents to follow. Otherwise, your boundary burnout will not just hurt you; it will hurt the residents and those around you, too.
Managing your Time, your Role as an RA, and other Leadership Positions
Many RAs are actively involved on their campus. You may serve in other leadership positions within campus organizations, are a work-study student, work off campus, or more. These commitments and your role as an RA enhances the likelihood of you
experiencing burnout to some degree. From my time as an RA, who is also a work-study student, and an executive member for two organizations on their campus, I have experienced boundary burnout specifically. Mainly due to feeling like I had to overextend myself in various ways, especially in my position as an RA. Thus, I learned how to prioritize evaluating my positions, which prevents role bleed. By instilling time-blocking, role compartmentalization, and structuring my availability, I became a better RA for not only my residents but for myself.
Closing Message to New RAs
New RAs: Know that you are stepping into this role has changed your residents’ lives for the better. You are crucial to Residence Life and how your Institution operates. Just ensure you are taking time for yourself and caring for yourself. We, as RAs, are incredibly fortunate to gain the multitude of skills that come with our position, and we should always better ourselves for the future. Boundary burnout will always be present in any position you take on. Knowing this, I encourage you to prevent this from occurring by setting up your schedule in a way that works best for you (no one else), prioritizing your alone time, and setting your boundaries!
