How to Create Healthy Boundaries at Work
Apr 11, 2022
According to Gallup’s latest research, 7 in 10 people are suffering. And 28% of U.S. employees are burned out.
Amid the “The Great Resignation” and “The Great Reshuffle,” we’re also experiencing a collective mental-health crisis.
While it would be easy to blame the COVID-19 pandemic, I think the groundwork for this crisis was laid before 2020.
In our highly connected and (now, very) remote world, the lines between work, rest, and play couldn’t be blurrier. We’re over-connected, over-stimulated, overly-available, and as a result—overwhelmed.
As research continues on how to address this crisis, I’m reminded of the importance of caring for all elements of our wellbeing.
Gallup identifies these essential, core areas of wellbeing as:
- Career Wellbeing
When you like what you do each day
- Social Wellbeing:
Your closest relationships
- Financial Wellbeing
Healthy management of your finances
- Physical Wellbeing
Good health and energy to do what you love
- Community Wellbeing
Engaging in the area you live
To enable these essential elements of our lives to thrive, we need space for all of them. We must be willing to create and stick to healthy boundaries in one area of our life to make room for another.
While boundaries get a bad reputation for being restrictive, they’re really an act of self-love.
You need boundaries to thrive.
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” - Brené Brown
As humans, we need boundaries. We crave boundaries. We need them in our work, with others, and even within ourselves.
But in today’s loud and busy world, we forget about boundaries. We work until 10 p.m. because we’re remote and we can. We push aside our Physical or Community wellbeing because accomplishing more at work feels better in the moment.
We’ve forgotten to make room for the most-important, ordinary moments of our lives. Volunteering with a friend. Going for a walk. Listening to music.
I believe ignoring our needs for the sake of hustling harder has brought us here.
So, what’s the solution?
I’m convinced it starts with wellbeing at work—creating healthy work boundaries to make room for the rest.
Journal Your Way To Healthy Boundaries at Work:
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Prompt #1: Describe what it looks like when you’re thriving in each essential element of wellbeing.
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Career:
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Social:
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Financial:
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Physical:
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Community:
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Prompt #2: What work boundaries were/are in place when these wellbeing elements were/are thriving?
**TIP: Gallup’s “CliftonStrengths Wellbeing at Work” podcast series describes what each CliftonStrength needs to thrive.
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Prompt #3: What 3 work boundaries can you put in place today (that have worked in the past or that you want to try)?
**TIP: This could look like removing the e-mail app from your phone, turning off work at 6 p.m., saving weekends for other elements of wellbeing, etc. -
Prompt #4: How will you communicate these 3 boundaries with your Leader and/or coworkers?
**TIP: Others can’t respect your boundaries, or hold you accountable to them, if you don’t make them known.
To help you on this journey, I designed The Strengths Journal with the 5 Wellbeing Elements in mind. The Strengths Journal helps you prioritize what you need daily, and how to get there using your CliftonStrengths. It also provides space for you to reflect on your wellbeing at the end of each week.
I need the structure and accountability of The Strengths Journal daily to thrive.
Maybe getting your own Strengths Journal is your best next step towards thriving; an act of courageous self-care.
“Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it.” -Anna Taylor
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