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Setting boundaries within the workplace is an essential part of maintaining a healthy relationship with your job and working life, as boundaries will ensure you aren’t left feeling uncomfortable with situations or spreading yourself too thin.
It’s easier said than done, but boundaries need to be set as soon as possible – they will make other coworkers aware of what you do and don’t like doing, and will pave your path towards a bright future within your company, lowering your chances of burnout *insert Burnout article link*.
Read on for our top boundaries within the workplace…
Set Non-Negotiables
Non-negotiables are extremely important within the workplace, and there’s nothing wrong with setting these.
Whether it’s opting out of overtime, setting holidays you have booked in advance or not wanting to be contacted after you have finished work, these are all normal expectations that, if suited to your lifestyle, would be great non-negotiables to mention.
Creating a list of non-negotiable to prioritise what is extremely important for us could be a good starting point, factoring in your family life, personal preferences and avoiding what makes you stressed will ensure you have a healthy working life.
Be Clear with Communication
Communication is key within most situations in life – if you communicate your problems, praises and questions, it’s likely they will be resolved a lot sooner than keeping them to yourself.
Clear communication is not only great for yourself, but for your leaders, managers and co-workers, as they are more likely to understand what the problem is and be able to communicate back with you to form an agreement.
Clear communication can be anything from pitching new ideas for development, to explaining why something has upset you if it has. There are many instances where others will not understand they have done wrong to you until they have been told – communication is where the matter will begin to be resolved.
Do Not Disturb
Knowing when to turn your notifications off for work can be extremely challenging, but it will be even more rewarding once you have learned how to set that boundary.
Your work mentally should shut off as soon as your laptop does, but we all know that isn’t the truth in many of our lives.
With that being said, notifications from your WhatsApp work group should not be disturbing your peaceful Sunday, family dinner or evenings – that is YOUR time.
Setting clear boundaries on when not to be disturbed, whether that be turning notifications off, or letting your co-workers know that you don’t want to be contacted after the working day ends.
Manage Relationships With Co-workers
Co-worker relationships can be brilliant, having a laugh with your team while working is what makes the long office days feel shorter, but where do you draw the line between a team friendship and a relationship that affects your working day?
The truth is – this part Is up to your preferences, if you prefer to separate work and your private life completely, make sure you voice that you prefer not to speak about private matters, or if you want to mee outside of work, choose topics to speak about that aren’t work-related.
We all know that gossip can be detrimental to relationships, so it’s best that you keep your relationships with co-workers light and friendly with a touch of professionalism.
Similarly to avoiding burnout, boundaries in the workplace need to be set in order for you to maintain a healthy working life, and continue building great relationships with co-workers.
Setting boundaries and clear non-negotiables are great first steps toward a great work-life balance, and if you’re struggling to do so, drop us an email to info@zestlearning.com.