Why setting boundaries at work is essential for your wellbeing
When you think about boundaries, think of them as the limits you set for yourself as to what is acceptable or comfortable for you in terms of your time, energy, tasks, relationships and emotional investment.
Implementing boundaries is essential if you want to protect your wellbeing and integrate your work and life in a healthy way.
Have you felt yourself struggling with the constant pull of work, feeling overwhelmed or guilty for feeling disconnected?
Found yourself answering emails late at night when you should be spending time with your family?
Feeling like you need to be available and on all the time?
Or even waking up and the first thing you do is check your emails and get straight into work mode?
The lines between work and life are a blur, a blur that impacts your overall wellbeing and the balance you seek between work and life.
Let’s get straight into it.
Why is it important to set boundaries at work?
Setting boundaries at work allows you to establish healthy professional practices for yourself so you can feel happy and productive at work – with the added bonus of still having a life outside of work.
Here’s why they’re important:
Help prevent burnout
If you overcommit to tasks, work excessive hours or constantly be available it can lead you to burnout affecting your productivity and wellbeing. Setting limits can help you manage your workload and can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed.
Protect your mental and emotional health
If you’re constantly stressed, overworked or dealing with difficult colleagues without clear limits. It impacts your mood, anxiety levels and overall mental health. Boundaries will allow you the space to recharge and maintain a healthy mindset.
Promotes work life balance
If your work keeps spilling over into your personal time, it can cause friction in your relationships, cause stress and impact your overall fulfillment. Being able to separate your work from your personal time is crucial if you want to find balance.
Improve your focus and productivity
If you’re getting pulled in too many directions all at once and being consumed by distractions you aren’t able to work efficiently. When you set boundaries around your time and energy, you can prioritise your tasks and focus on what’s important.
It protects your autonomy
If you don’t want to feel like you’re constantly being controlled or micromanaged by others, implementing boundaries will give you the autonomy to make decisions about your time, your approach to tasks and how you interact with your colleagues. This will lead to a higher job satisfaction.
What types of boundaries can you set at work?
There are a variety of boundaries that you can set for yourself at work, the most known boundaries are usually related to time but there are so many more that you need to consider:
Time Boundaries
Setting time boundaries is all about setting limits on when you are available to work and when you need time off. Examples of time boundaries are:
Defining your work hours
Not answering emails after hours
Saying no to last minute requests
Taking regular breaks throughout the day
Switching off completely when on annual leave
Task Boundaries
Clearly defining the scope of your responsibilities so that you don’t take on more than you can handle and end up overwhelmed. Examples of task boundaries include:
Clarifying your role and what falls in your remit
Saying no to extra work when you’ve got too much on your plate
Set realistic expectations and deadlines
Delegate tasks to your team
Politely saying no to last minute requests that will disrupt your planned work.
Emotional boundaries
Implementing emotional boundaries that protect yourself from taking on others’ emotional needs or drama. Examples of emotional boundaries are:
Not absorbing others stress
Declining to mediate conflicts instead referring them to HR
Not getting involved in office gossip
Acknowledge when you’re emotionally drained and communicating it
Set limits on personal sharing that feels comfortable for you
Physical Boundaries
In open plan offices or when interacting with your colleagues it’s important to establish personal space so you can feel comfortable and maintain focus. Examples of physical boundaries include:
Use headphones in open spaces to signal you’re focused
Knock before entering offices, meeting rooms to respect others personal space
Set limits on your desk and let your team know it should be respected as a private space
Feel comfortable and avoid crowding so you have personal space in meetings
Respect your own personal space with a comfortable physical distance at your desk.
Communication Boundaries
Establishing how and when you’ll communicate with your colleagues. Examples of communication boundaries are:
Refer colleagues to email for non-urgent matters instead of messaging directly
Set clear communication hours, taking only non-urgent work calls during business hours
Avoid distractions by using “Do Not Disturb” mode.
Limit after hours contacts
Keep conversations professional by steering conversations back to work topics
How to set boundaries at work:
Be clear and direct
Make sure you are open about your needs and limits, whether that’s with your colleagues or your manager. Be polite but firm with your limits. Eg. if you can’t take on extra tasks if you’re already at capacity.
Communicate early
It’s easier to set boundaries before things become a problem. Remember if no one knows your boundaries, they won’t know if they’re overstepping them. Eg. When you first start a role, establish your working hours and communicate them – set the tone early.
Consistency is key
Be consistent in upholding your boundaries once you have decided on them. If you continuously compromise on your boundaries, it can be taken as a sign that you don’t mind being overextended.
Respect other people’s boundaries
It goes both ways. Make sure you are conscious of and respecting the limits others set. You might set boundaries that align to your lifestyle where others may not be in the same position so a culture of mutual respect is essential.
Now it’s time to get clear by auditing your boundaries at work with 10 questions to reflect on and then put it into action.
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10 QUESTIONS TO AUDIT YOUR BOUNDARIES
Setting boundaries and sticking to them at work is crucial if you want to achieve a healthy work life balance.
By understanding the importance of boundaries, what type of boundaries you can set and how to set them, you will be able to reclaim your time and enjoy a more fulfilling life.
It’s not just about managing your time, it’s about prioritising your wellbeing.
