Workshop One – Work/Life Balance

Lesson Objectives
As a result of this workshop, participants will be able to:
 Explain what a work/life balance is
 Identify how a work/life imbalance effects teachers
 Apply Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Self-efficacy Theories to one’s daily life

Prior Preparation/Organisation:
 6 different coloured balloons (blown up)
 6 timers (or use phones)
 Work/Life balance PowerPoint (optional. To be created by workshop leader)
 Projector (optional)
 5 large sheets of butchers paper with questions written in the middle (How does work/life
balance effect teachers? How does the Australian Curriculum aid in the imbalance
between work and life? What strategies can be implemented to aid in the balance
between work and life? What could the school do to aid the work/life balance? How can
Maslow’s theory or the self-efficacy theory be incorporated into your own life?)
 20 textas

Workshop Delivery
Motivation and Introduction
Introduction
3 minutes - Workshop leader to introduce themselves
- Introduce topic of work/life balance
Today we will be spending this meeting looking at the issue of work/life
balance and how it directly effects teachers.
- Outline the workshop
We will start the workshop by first playing an ice breaker activity. We will
then go through the aspects of work/life balance, how it effects teachers
and how theories such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory and the Self-
efficacy theory can be incorporated into a work/life balance.

Motivation
2 minutes - Explain Air Balloons activity
To start off, we are going to play a game called Air Balloons. You will be
separated into five groups, with a balloon and timer given to each group.
The aim is to keep the balloon in the air for the longest time possible
without touching it or letting it touch the floor. You can blow air onto the
balloon or use paper to blow air onto it. One person in your group will be the
timer. If the balloon touches the floor or someone/something the time is to
be reset. You will have five minutes to set your record and we will compare
at the end. (Icebreakers.ws, n.d.)
- Separate participants into groups with materials
5 minutes - Commence Air Balloons
- After five minutes, compare times with groups
Workshop Steps
PowerPoint
20 minutes - Groups to return to their seats. Draw attention to PowerPoint
- What is work/life balance?
Work life balance is built on the idea that one’s work life and personal life
are complementary of each other in bringing perfection to one’s life. In
other words, for a person to feel “whole,” they need to satisfy both their
work needs and their personal or social needs. When one has a good work
life balance, they are seen to be more motivated, productive and less
stressful (Johari, Tan, & Zulkarnain, 2018).
- Application to the Department of Education
20% of education graduates do not register as teachers on graduating. 53%
of people who hold a teaching degree do not currently work in education.
40%-50% of teachers leave within the first five years. Statistics such as these
force us to question what can be done to prevent the decline in teachers
entering or staying in the teaching profession. By looking at the topic of
work/life balance, we can develop multiple theories on why it may be a
problem with teachers (Johari, Tan, & Zulkarnain, 2018).
- Hierarchy of needs theory
Introduce theory – developed in 1943 by Abraham Maslow
Describe the five levels of needs – physiological, safety, social, esteem and
self-actualisation
Explain the three principles (deficit, prepotency and progression) that the
theory is based off of
How can the theory be applied to work/life balance?
How does it lead to school/staff workload expectations?
- Self-efficacy theory
Introduce theory – developed in 1960s by Albert Bandura
Describe how each of the influences (performance accomplishments,
vicarious learning, social persuasion and emotional arousal) can lead to the
possible outcomes (persistence, performance, approach versus avoidance)
Identify the impact on work/life balance
Link between self-efficacy and the lifestyle and wellbeing of teachers

Activity
2 minutes - Explain Round-The-World activity
You will be separated into five groups. Each group will be given a large sheet
of butcher’s paper with one of five questions on it. You will be given four
minutes to write as much down on the sheet as you can before you move
onto the next sheet. At the end, we will discuss what has been written down
(Will, 1997).
20 minutes - Split participants into five groups, hand out textas to those who need them
and commence activity
- Move groups on every four minutes
5 minutes - Once participants have returned to their original seats, discuss what has
been written on all the sheets. Does everyone disagree/agree with what
has been said? What are some counterarguments?
Workshop Closure
Closure
3 minutes - Think, pair, share
What has everyone learnt today? Is there something they would like
clarified? Positives/negatives/improvements for workshop? What is to
come in the next workshop on team building (Will, 1997).