Setting boundaries

Do you ever have those moments where you have said yes to a request where you feel you should have said no? Or find yourself in a meeting where you struggle to focus, either because you had to cancel an existing personal commitment to make it, or because you were keen to finish an important project with a deadline approaching?

With the world becoming more and more fast-paced, and technology readily available regardless of whether at work, at home or traveling, it is easy for us to get overwhelmed by the responsibilities and projects at hand.

Although it may feel as though there isn’t enough time in a day to achieve all the things we want to, there may be another culprit hampering our effectiveness at work. A lack of boundaries.

A boundary is a limit you set for what you will and will not do, or what you will and will not accept from others.

Setting boundaries is a process that requires introspection and self-awareness. It involves looking inside yourself and asking yourself questions about how you work best, what your needs are, what is and isn’t your responsibility, and what keeps you healthy and happy. Once you’ve answered those questions, you can start creating boundaries around them so that they can be put into action.

Setting boundaries isn’t as easy as just saying no or having a specific goal in mind; rather, it requires clear communication, discipline and consistency on your part as well as understanding and commitment from others involved in the situation. If boundaries are not clear, or get overstepped there are likely to be problems down the road when things get tough or stressful.

Some actions that can be taken to create a healthy work environment in which the boundaries you have set for yourself, as well as for those around you are respected and attended to are the following:

🌱 Most importantly, determine your top priorities in both work and life.

🌱 Plan your day and allow for spare time to deal with unforeseen events.

🌱 Make sure that your line manager, your direct reports, peers, and/or team members have visibility over your work schedule so that they know when they can reach out if something comes up unexpectedly.

🌱 Be clear on the purpose and duration of meetings you lead or attend.

🌱 Ask yourself the question whether your attendance for a meeting is required or someone else in your team might be able to add value.

🌱 When being handed a project, gain clarity upfront about your mandate and boundaries set for this project.

🌱 Set a time limit for tasks, and where more work is required agree with those involved how best to proceed.

Often we think we have the necessary boundaries in place, and we may, but are they clear, are they understood and what do we do when someone oversteps these boundaries?

What is a boundary you have set for yourself?