JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Brig. Gen. Caroline M. Miller, 502d Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio commander, along with Command Chief Master Sgt. Wendell Snider, sat down with 10 members from the wing May 18 for their “Tough Conversation” series on the topic of work-life balance in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston.
After a quick around-the-room for introductions, the topic was opened by Miller asking, “Who in here is good at work-life balance?”
The response came from one individual who said, “I’m really interested in the topic and have researched it extensively,” he said. “Limiting cell phone usage, working out and going to bed at a decent time has attributed to my work-life balance success.”
“I found it hard to balance when I teleworked at the start of COVID due to the difficulties of shutting off from work,” Miller stated.
A participant mentioned operating the same way early on, but realized how much burnout it would cause if he continued.
It was a consensus among the members of the group that finding the balance is difficult, especially with children participating in tele-schooling, teleworking and the conflicting information regarding COVID-19 procedures in work centers.
Miller echoed the sentiment of the members regarding the struggle in finding the balance from her position to streamline procedures, such as leave and quarantine policies amid the different requirements and needs throughout the wing.
Snider discussed three times in his career when he struggled with work-life balance and how fluid that can be based on rank, job and position.
“You can find yourself falling out of that balance very easily,” Snider said.
One individual talked about how her Military Training Instructor told her the best thing she had heard about work-life balance while she was in basic training. The instructor said that spending time with those he loved on the weekends recharged him. She concluded by stating, “Finding out what is important to you and prioritizing that can help you find your balance.”
Another member noted that it can be hard to say no when you’re an Airman and your supervisor is asking you to do something, like plan an event or take on extra work within the unit. The reason for hesitating to say no was their confidence in their ability to complete the task well, not letting the supervisor down and wanting to be helpful or looked upon.
“When I was at the NCO Academy, I asked how many additional duties the individuals in the room had. Most of them raised their hands for having more than seven,” Snider said. “Leaders sometimes struggle with balancing requests and over delegating to capable people, rather than delegating to someone who could benefit from the challenge.”
Miller also shared a story from when she was deployed to Qatar and the stress snuck up on her as she was standing in line at the dining facility. She asked the employee to chop the chicken for her salad to which he said she would have to chop her own chicken. She described her experience as feeling pushed over the edge, not realizing the stress she was under until something small happened and she overreacted.
One audience member suggested this problem would be resolved if leadership invests time in their members and can identify when someone is saturated and needs a break.
Miller described household rules that help her work-life balance.
“My rules are simple,” Miller said. “We eat dinner together every night without electronics and there are no electronics allowed upstairs in the bedrooms. Unplugging, chatting and being in the moment helps me recharge. When I’m there, I’m present, and it makes a huge difference.”
The participants in tough conversations are added to an email distribution list from Miller that provides a synopsis of the discussion and progress on initiatives taken as a result. The next discussion will be held May 25 at JBSA-Randolph. For those who would like to participate, discuss with your leadership.