Communicate Healthy Boundaries in the Workplace

Interconnectivity is trendy these days, making it extremely hard for most people to disconnect from their work and set healthy boundaries in the workplace. This leads to an unhealthy work-life balance that can have numerous consequences.

If you’re looking for ways to set healthy boundaries in the workplace, this post will guide you.

If you feel like your job responsibilities are becoming unmanageable for you, then you may be experiencing burnout. Work burnout can affect both your mental and physical health. Not to mention, it can affect your personal life in more ways than you can imagine.

For instance, you may find it hard to manage spending quality time with your family and friends. As a result, your work becomes a contributor to deteriorating your relationships.

Sure, it can be tempting to make yourself easily available at work as it can set you up for promotions. But don’t forget, such flexibility also sets you up for immense stress.

As setting healthy boundaries becomes more important now than ever, it is not easy to achieve. Read on to learn about healthy boundaries in the workplace.

Benefits of Setting Healthy Boundaries at Work

A 2019 report from Udemy reveals that work boundaries get crossed regularly.

The report also shows how 66% of employees witness or experience bullying while 59% of managers feel pressured to work even during lunch breaks. This can negatively affect your health: physical and mental.

But, setting healthy boundaries at work has many perks. Boundaries are extremely important in today’s busy world with non-stop work demands and increasing workloads.

When you set healthy boundaries and limits, you can better interact with others, making your interactions more productive and beneficial. Not to mention, you can also focus on the work you truly enjoy this way.

Setting healthy boundaries allows you to say no to situations, demands, goals, and people that disturb your peace. Doing so makes space for saying yes to yourself and activities you get want to focus on.

Boundaries

• Increase your self-esteem
• Help you achieve a greater influence
• Improve your relationships with your colleges, employers, managers, etc.

Types of Boundaries to Set and Communicate

There are three types of boundaries to set in the workplace. These are interpersonal boundaries, communication boundaries, and time and space boundaries.

Interpersonal Boundaries

When you set interpersonal boundaries with people at work, you’re setting a dynamic for employee-management and employee-college relationships.

This prevents one party from taking advantage of the other in any way. As a result, workplace bullying is less likely to be a factor.

These healthy boundaries also allow you to set a tone for work relationships. For instance, your interpersonal boundaries determine (through your “training of others”) how others will engage with you and vice versa. This applies to both personal conversations (if any, at all) and work-related discussions.

Talking about personal interactions, you can also choose to separate your work life from your personal life completely.

Communication Boundaries

According to a survey conducted in 2016, around 43% of working adults reported that their jobs negatively affected their stress levels. Setting healthy communication boundaries can significantly change that number.

Simply put, communication boundaries refer to how you would like to be addressed by your colleagues, employers, etc.  If you hold a Ph.D. and prefer to be called Dr. Smith, then this should be communicated.

Time and Space Boundaries

When it comes to the time you spend at your workplace, it is truly valuable, precious, and limited. When you set time boundaries, you will notice that it allows you to become more productive and efficient.

Not to mention, setting healthy boundaries like these also protect and maintain your mental and emotional health.

So, let your office friends know how you can’t afford to waste precious shift time gossiping and messing around. This will help you complete your work on time and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

There’s nothing wrong with an open-door policy, but set hours for your availability.

On the other hand, you must also set healthy boundaries regarding the physical space. Determine the limits for your workspace and tell your colleagues what’s acceptable and what isn’t.

If you have an open-door policy, communicate when that door is open — if it’s open all the time, you’ll constantly be interrupted which leads to a lack of productivity.

Bottom Line

Not maintaining a proper work-life balance can lead to stress and burnout. This affects your physical and mental health while also having a big impact on your relationships. However, setting healthy boundaries in the workplace can help you avoid the negative consequences and set you up for success and promotion.

Make sure to set interpersonal, communication, and time and space boundaries at work.

p.s. – Could you use some guidance setting boundaries at work?  Book a free appointment and we’ll see if we’re a fit for working together.