Setting Healthy Boundaries at Work

With smartphones at our fingertips, boundaries around work are more blurred than ever. Applications like Slack and Gmail make us radically accessible, conference calls can happen at any time of the day, and laptops make it easier than ever to work on the weekends and in the middle of our vacations.

It’s no surprise, then, how stress begins to take its toll on our bodies and minds. Things happen at work that leave us feeling frustrated and burnt out. We often find ourselves balancing clients, working extended hours, and juggling others’ expectations that we are always available.

What are boundaries? Boundaries are lines or rules we set about our expectations, availability, and energy. Because boundaries protect our energy and focus, they allow us to be more productive in the workplace. And they don't have to be aggressive. Boundaries simply prevent us from over-committing and make our lives a little easier and more predictable.

Healthy boundaries are essential to any relationship, including the ones you have at work. Your personal limits let others know what you care about and how you define acceptable and unacceptable expectations about work.

Of course, in your professional life, there’s the unavoidable factor of how to meet your personal needs without putting your paycheck at risk. Responding to a boss who oversteps can be more tricky than dealing with a colleague, so tread lightly when setting boundaries with your boss.

If you want to be happy and successful, learn to set and maintain boundaries early on at work. Use these tips to identify your limits and communicate them clearly.

How to Maintain Boundaries at Work

Show respect. Treating your coworkers with respect is fundamental. When you recognize and abide by their boundaries, they’re more likely to abide by your boundaries. Know your limits. If you want others to honor your boundaries, it’s important for you to clearly identify them before communicating them. Talk it over. Be prepared to discuss your perspective. What’s important to you may not be important to your supervisor or colleagues. It's better to communicate rather than make assumptions. Negotiate solutions. Offer compromises and alternatives that allow everyone to meet their needs. Maybe you’d be happy to work some weekend shifts in exchange for taking time off during the week to volunteer at your child’s school, and one of your colleagues may prefer to not work weekends at all. You won't know what you both need or want unless you have these conversations.

Learn to say no. There may be instances where you need to draw the line. If you think you’re being asked to do something impractical or unethical it's important to discuss these with your supervisor early on to come up with a solution that will work for both of you. If neither of these are a factor, but you still can't do it, explain why not and see if other arrangements can be made. Perhaps you can do it sometimes it's needed, but not every time. Assert yourself. Learn to advocate for yourself. Keep track of your accomplishments. Ask for feedback from your supervisor to help you evaluate your performance on a regular basis so there are no surprises during your annual evaluation. Be consistent. You might be tempted to let others push your boundaries to avoid confrontation, but consider the consequences. Others are more likely to recognize and respect your limits if you consistently enforce them. Take time off. You need to protect your time. Let others know what hours you’re available for office matters. Leave the building for lunch, spend your vacation days out of town and leave the company laptop and cell phone at home or in the office.

Benefits of Setting Boundaries at Work

Increased productivity. Well defined boundaries can help you reduce the number of tasks that can be handled by a junior staff member. Connect with colleagues. We might think that setting boundaries pushes others away from us. However, setting boundaries can actually help us have better relationships with others in the workplace. Increase job satisfaction. Fewer conflicts and more time spent on meaningful tasks is bound to make your workday more pleasant. You’ll feel more content and fulfilled. You may also deepen your relationships with co-workers. Advance your career. It’s easier to strategize about your career path when you enjoy what you’re doing for a living. Plus, your boss may notice your enthusiasm and increased output which is always a good thing.

Maintaining reasonable boundaries at work will reduce your job stress and make it easier to excel. You’ll be able to keep your life in balance and enjoy mutually supportive relationships with your colleagues.

Setting boundaries will look different for everyone. You might find that as you evolve into a different season of life or your career, your needs change. As your needs change, the boundaries you have around work will change too.

As always, I wish you all the best in your career. If you enjoy videos, I would be honored to have you subscribe to my YouTube channel. Thanks for reading this post!