Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2017/Programme/Submission/How to not tear yourself apart while being a Wikimedia functionary

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How to not tear yourself apart while being a Wikimedia functionary[edit]

Name(s) and/or username(s)[edit]

Tim Moritz
Wikimedia Deutschland

Topic[edit]

  • Management practices in Wikimedia affiliates

Type of submission (Please choose one)[edit]

  • Panel Discussion

Summary[edit]

Being a Wikimedia Functionary can be fulfilling and satisfying. Spending your life on our mission is not the worse thing to do - it's a passion and lot of us are ready to sacrifice oneself to this. But let's be honest: Being on a Board of one of our Wikimedia organisations can also be very stressful. It can deprive you your sleep, make you think about it all night, loose contact to other friends (other friends than Wikimedia?!) and family. You receive phone calls all day and e-mails all night (and probably even vice-versa), you participate in conferences all around your country if not all around the globe and it can feel like a part-time-job (or even full-time). The time effort some of the Wikimedia functionaries spend on serving on a Board is incredibly high and they all do this work on a voluntary basis. What methods do we have to be passionate and full of energy on the one hand but not letting aside our personal limits, the need of spare time and allowing oneself to be overstrained and exhausted sometimes on the other? This starts with very practical things (how to manage your schedule, how to run and participate in meetings effectively) and ends up with big questions (what should be the focus of my work? Which part of the work can be cut?).

I want to discuss these questions together with:

  • Nataliia Tymkiv (WMF)
  • tbc
  • tbc
  • YOU

I have already sent out a few requests to participate in this panel discussion, but if you want to join us, please let me know and send me an e-mail.

Expected outcomes[edit]

The participants will gain a raised awareness of (a) what they are doing is extraordinary and very honourable and (b) they are not perfect and don't need to be. Ideally, they also take home inspirations to structure their work and schedules and methods to prevent oneselves from „burning out“. This way, the work of our volunteers will become more sustainable.

Duration (without Q&A)[edit]

45 min (no Q&A needed)

Specific requirements[edit]

  • Panel discussion with 5 participants: 5 chairs in the front
  • Can only be held Saturday afternoon or Sunday

Slides or further information[edit]

Interested attendees (Please add yourself, and you may indicate your questions to the presenter).[edit]