Simple Way To Set Boundaries At Work

We all have that one friend who can’t stay five minutes without responding to an email or text from work. Sometimes, that friend is us. As great as the internet is, it has allowed our employers be in constant contact with us. This is mainly because we can now easily work remotely.  Yes, it’s necessary to work nights and weekends sometimes, but one should never make it a habit. You should have personal time set aside to do things like sleep and rest, or focus on your side hustle.

If you’re finding it difficult to separate work from your personal time, try these few steps;

Avoid Company-Issued Devices (If You Can)

Some companies issue new employees devices to use. These devices are often already encoded with information relevant to the office, and are set up to enable you work remotely. While this is great, it’s easy to get addicted to always having these devices on and constantly checking them. If your office offers you a new device, only take it if it’s absolutely required. This way, it will be easy for you to define a boundary between work and personal life as you won’t be taking work home with you by creating the illusion that you can’t be reached.

Don’t Overdo It

Starting a new job is exciting. You want to impress your boss and your colleagues, so you stay late, offer to help out a little more than you should, come in too early, and reply emails when you should be asleep. The good thing is people will be impressed. The bad thing is you are training your boss, and other colleagues, to depend on you for whatever they need. Is this a bad thing? Yes. No one says you shouldn’t go over and beyond at work, but set your boundaries by cultivating the habit of only staying late if you absolutely have to. Make sure all, or most, your work is done by close of business and leave. If you volunteer to help out with something, also be clear that you have other commitments.

Take Time Off Regularly

I don’t even understand it when people say they are “gathering leave”. How can your company say you have earned time off and you say you want to save it for another time? Companies give time off because they know employees function better when they are rested. There is no point working relentlessly even when your company has made it possible for you to take a few days off and relax. If your leave is coming up, take it. Disconnect from everything work-related and rest. Or use the time off to take care of personal matters.

In any relationship, it’s important to establish boundaries early. This is no different in a work environment. Make a clear separation between your work and personal life, and you’ll find you’re more productive in both aspects than you would be when you try to do it all at once.