Boundaries in the Workplace

We created a poll on social media and asked: Do you struggle with setting boundaries in the workplace The choices were: Yes, I struggle OR No, I set clear boundaries. 75% selected Yes while 25% selected No. Based on these results, it’s clear most of us struggle with setting boundaries.

Why are setting boundaries important? Researcher Isabel Beecher says, “boundaries set the ground rules for how people can argue, feel angry, get hurt, express their true feelings and still love each other and laugh together,”.

In the workplace boundaries that are clear and communicated well are respected by others. It also increases the team’s efficiency because everyone knows what lines not to cross. If not, then you run the risk of being convinced by boundary predators.

Harvard Business Review contributor, Priscilla Chapman describes boundary predators as: “the boss who asks you to work the weekend you have a family wedding or the team leaders who assign you more work than your colleagues.”

If you ever wondered why it’s hard to maintain boundaries it’s because when we only focus on doing and getting it done, it’s easy for ourselves and others around us to lose sight of what’s important. Here are 5 things you can do to protect your boundaries.

1. Create a mutual understanding between yourself and the leader.

Other duties as assigned can muddy your contract of employment, which can lead to your boss having greater expectations of you and leave you struggling to balance it all. For prevention, make sure you continue the conversations with your supervisors so that your duties remain clear and realistic.

2. What are your non-negotiables?

 You can’t be in two places at once, and this is where non-negotiables come in handy because saying yes to something means saying no to something else. Identify your non-negotiables, write them out and place this list in your daily view. Creating a list of non-negotiables will help you discover what’s important, and from there you can communicate boundaries to shield your priorities.

3. Prepare for your boundaries to be challenged.

This is where the trouble begins. When there is a work project or volunteer opportunity you have to decide to say yes or no. First, ask lots of clarifying questions before you commit. To get more information than a yes or no, make sure to use open-ended questions like: “What can you tell me about the client’s need for the product demo project?

4. Don’t just say no, have some finesse.

You don’t want to offend someone by just saying no. Offer alternatives such as: “I’m sorry I just don’t think my team can handle this project at the moment, let’s circle back in 6 months.” Alternatives ease the “no” blow and are a persuasive way to get the other person to agree.

5. When life happens, reset the boundary.

Things come up your kid breaks their arm or a family member you care for falls ill. We have to shift our boundaries to fit where we are in life. However, we forget to go back to our set boundaries after the emergency. Reestablish your boundaries by saying: “I’m not going to make the presentation this afternoon, I am on the way to the emergency room with my son. Once he is stabilized, I’ll call and see what I can do to reschedule.”

Boundaries are like a road map of your priorities, sometimes you will need to adjust. Other times, boundaries are a road map to let others know what your priorities are.