Boundaries At Work!
Are You Honoring Yourself by Enforcing Your Boundaries?
I was talking to a young lady last week who said she quit her passion because the demands were too much.
A lack of boundaries at work will take time and energy from you and youโll become unproductive and ineffective.
Workplace stress and workloads are key drivers of burnout.
๐๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ. ๐๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ #๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ.
The biggest problem is that most people think they have no choice. But thatโs not really true.
If this is you, you are probably constantly complaining about the lack of time. Your days are crazy and stressful.
Self-employed or not you have too much on your plate, dealing with clients, suppliers, service providers, regulators, and your team, and then home.
You are pulled in so many directions!!!
This is exactly why you need boundaries.
Boundaries are necessary for us to protect ourselves from harm. It is a clear request of someone else with a clear consequence that you will take action when the boundary is crossed.
Healthy boundaries are those that you put in place to ensure that you are safe emotionally and mentally.
For example, asking a co-worker to not make demands on your time or, physical, like asking a co-worker to not touch you because you do not find it appropriate.
Without clear boundaries, people will do whatever they please with you in your space because they can.
Here are the reasons you need to set healthy boundaries.
1. ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ โ you are telling the other person that you are clear about your individuality.
2. ๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ โ you are letting the other person know that you will not compromise your feelings over their actions towards you.
3. ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐งโ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ซ โ you want to show the other person how they treat you. And when they do not agree you decide the consequences and act on them.
4. ๐๐ฏ๐จ๐ข๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ โ you want to make sure you do not overstretch.
5. ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ฒ โ making decisions based on whatโs best for you.
6. ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก โ when you reduce the stress you encourage emotional wellbeing and therefore good mental health.
Healthy boundaries help manage demand on your time. Unnecessary or uninvited demands cause us to have #resentment, #anger, and #burnout.
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Here's how you honor your boundaries.
Carve out time to know what's urgent vs what's important. Understand your own values and priorities.
Communicate your boundaries very clearly and specifically e.g. "if I must stay late today I will not have enough rest, therefore, I will need some time off tomorrow morning to recuperate so I can be as. productive as I am expected to be".
Delegate whenever it's necessary. Allow yourself to let go of the need to do it all, your need to seek perfection.
Do not be afraid to say 'NO' e.g. "I am afraid I will not be able to deliver it in the time you expect, I have several priorities lined up which are of high importance."
Take some time off. Everyone deserves it. Even you. If it will not be given to you then simply take it. Do not hold yourself hostage creating success for others who do not appreciate your efforts.
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Once you have your boundaries in place honor them before you expect others to honor them, and make sure you honor your set consequences.
So how are you fairing with your boundaries at work?