Setting healthy boundaries
If you’re working from home, healthy boundaries are not just important, they are absolutely necessary. The line between your personal life and work-life can become easily blurred and those around you may assume you have more flexibility and availability than you actually do. If you don’t set boundaries, both personally and professionally, you will ultimately only hurt yourself. But where do you begin?
Identify if a boundary is being crossed
Listen to your gut. If something feels uncomfortable and your intuition says your boundary is being violated, it probably is. Notice your feelings. You might feel resentful or angry, taken advantage of, or even guilty if you don’t comply. This might particularly be the case around family and friends, and it can be uncomfortable to tell them that you’re not really available. Don’t be tempted to answer every text or phone call and keep your office door closed. Setting these boundaries will allow you to get more done with fewer distractions.
Realise the benefits of establishing boundaries
Think about what you want your day to look like and keep that image at the forefront of your mind. Setting boundaries with family and friends means that you can have a more productive workday and focus on growing your business. On the flip side, setting boundaries with clients means you can better protect your personal time. Whilst difficult to do, establishing and maintaining such healthy boundaries will only have a positive effect on your life as a whole. You’ll experience more of what you enjoy and you’ll feel valued.
Setting boundaries
Establishing boundaries in the workplace can be a difficult process and it’s not always easy to take action. However, once you learn to respectfully say “no”, it will be a game-changer. Ask yourself if the actions you’re taking today will bring you closer to your personal and professional goals.
Create a dedicated workspace
Establish a room or area in your home, at least for part of the day, which is dedicated entirely to work. A place where any members of your household know not to disturb you unless absolutely necessary. Most importantly, create an office space that works for you. The whole point of working from home is to embrace the flexibility and to have the working environment you desire. Granted, it might be difficult if there are currently children in the house, but in the meantime, come up with inventive ways to make them aware you’re working such as creative signs.Set your hours
This one is crucial if you want to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Resist the urge to work longer hours in order to ‘get things done’. You wouldn’t do this in an office environment, except for when you really have to hit a deadline. Arrange a schedule that makes sense to you and stick to it. Having a routine set of times that you’re ‘at work’ makes it easier for everyone to know when you’re available.Take breaks
Again, do what you’d do if you were in your regular workplace. Take regular coffee breaks, stretch your legs, and even pick up the phone to check in with your colleagues. Block out an extended period of time in your diary for a lunch break and schedule your work around it. Whilst it’s important to have flexibility, scheduling breaks means you’re less at risk of burning out by powering through the day without.When you’re done, you’re done
Sign out at the end of your working day and turn notifications off. Set your status to ‘away’ or put ‘do not disturb’ on messaging platforms, and make it clear to colleagues and clients that you won’t be responding to anything work-related until the following day unless of course there’s an emergency. Take time to decompress from your working day by going for a short walk or sitting down with your family – something that symbolizes you are ‘done’.Take your days off seriously
Spend at least one day a week completely unplugged from work. Don’t check emails and don’t spend any time in your designated office space. Taking time off gives you time to recharge and reset for the next working week, upping your productivity and energy levels.Boundaries allow us to define and maintain the space we need to show up as our very best selves. Not only this, but establishing healthy boundaries is a necessary self-care practice and so it’s crucial we learn to show compassion and kindness to ourselves.
“Boundaries are part of self-care. They are healthy, normal, and necessary.”