Are your boundaries inviting stress in or keeping stress out?
Do you have boundaries you maintain in your work and personal life? I am curious because stress and burnout are going up, up and up according to the latest research by Gallup, Glassdoor, Mckinsey and others.
Boundaries are one of the most important tools you and your teams can put into action to prevent stress and burnout as they help:
Manage your energy - physical, mental and emotional
Clarify where your responsibility ends and someone else's begins
Focus, prioritising and productivity
You act in line your values and standards
Set a great example for others
Setting your boundaries
Five of the most important boundaries to identify and set for yourself are:
What level of workload is acceptable and manageable?
Is your role clear to you and your manager/s?
When does your work day/week start and end?
What behaviours are acceptable?
How do you expect to be talked to
If you haven't been proactive and set your work-life boundaries, reflecting on your experience is a good place to start e.g. what situations made you feel valued and which ones didn't?
My power boundaries
I am a natural boundary setter, I've done it intuitively from a young age - my poor parents!! Once, I started working this spilled over into my work-life. Over the years it's been appreciated by some and been annoying to others.
Regardless of other people’s opionions, I know my work-life boundaries have been key to keeping stress at bay at challenging times and during full-on projects. And have helped me stay true to my values and standards.
If I had to pick three power boundaries, here's what I would choose:
Making time for meditation, breathwork and yoga almost everyday
Before 9am & after 530pm weekdays, and weekends - personal time
Clear, respectful two-way communication
"Boundaries are essentially the rules or guidelines you set for yourself about how you allow others to treat you.."
Tell-tale signs you need to activate your boundaries
If you've been feeling stressed and are wondering whether it might be time to start working on your boundaries - this being the number one sign that you do! Here's some of the signals to look out for:
Patterns & behaviours
You give away your time freely e.g. working long hours
You struggle to make decisions
You can't say no
You won't accept help
You tolerate behaviour that is disrecpectful
Feelings:
Resentment, irritation & anger
Exhaustion, drained & burntout
Judgy about others
You can't be yourself
Sensitive to other opinions & criticism
If you've been experiencing these symptoms a lot lately and need some help with managing your boundaries, get in touch. I would love to help you get back on track.
Final note
Tell me which boundaries help you stay calm and focused - I am curious. Or, maybe you feel like you don't have the right boundaries in place to keep overwhelm, overthinking, anxiety and stress at bay? I am keen to hear from you in the comments below.