Importance of establishing boundaries at work

Quiet quitting.

Brian Creely, a GenX Career Coach coined the term which spread like wildfire in the spring of 2022. Quiet quitting means, “doing only the required tasks associated with one’s job and not going “above and beyond” one’s job description.” The main reasons for quitting was related to the work/life balance - minimizing stress and burnout, or pursuing new career alternatives. Employers were split on their view of quiet quitting.

One of the things quiet-quitting demonstrated out-loud was the desire of people to set boundaries at work. For some, worklife is their life. For others, the need to pick up a side hustle due to financial pressures, or the desire to experience all that life offers is the driving force to minimizing overtime to do other things. In other words, setting boundaries. 

What are you risking by not setting boundaries?

What are work boundaries

According to Gallup's State of the American Workplace 2017, 53 percent of employees say that a role that allows them to have greater work-life balance is “very important” to them. 

Melody Wilding, LMSW, an award-winning executive coach to sensitive strivers, defines workplace boundaries as “the limits, expectations, or personal rules you set to keep yourself from over-committing and that protect your energy so you can perform at your best.

Setting boundaries is about knowing your value, your priorities, your goals. As an employee, you are essentially selling your time and effort to employers. And employers purchase your labor with pay. Balancing extra effort / extra time without extra pay is the point of quiet quitting. Many are learning AFTER they have been laid off that their hard work and all their work time was not valued enough to keep them. 

Why are boundaries important

For those who tend to be high achievers - the need to prove yourself and demonstrate dedication to your job tends to lead to burnout. One way you can prevent workers from feeling like they are being taken advantage of is by managing their work load - not delegating too much work to them? so that they are responsible for everything if this is not something they signed up for. 

Founders and managers need to set an example and set boundaries as well. As a Founder, you may choose to work many extra hours as you are building your company. However, it is important to enable those that are in this with you to detach themselves for a period of time to take a break and refresh. Doing so helps everyone to minimize stress and anxiety. And results in a reduction in workplace accidents. Remember this is YOUR dream.

Benefits of setting boundaries

The benefits of setting boundaries helps not just your employees, but founders too. 

Taking a break from continuously working to do something different allows one to reset - take a fresh approach or perspective to solving problems. It leads to a boost in mental & emotional well-being, and for many, a rise in self confidence and self-esteem.

Types of boundaries

Examples of boundaries include:

• What time you start and end work (core working hours) 

• Response times for emails and messages

• Calendar blocks for "focused" work

• The work you most enjoy doing and have the bandwidth for

• The frequency and duration of breaks 

• Topics you will and won't discuss with co-workers (i.e. gossip, personal life)

How to set boundaries

When it comes to setting boundaries, assess your current situation. Identify those things that cause you stress or anxiety. Look for areas that are working well and those that need improvement. 

Once you have identified the areas for boundaries, share that with those that need to know. You may need to set a boundary that the first or last 15 minutes of your workday you need to get organized for the day/the next day. It may be how quick you are responsible for responding to emails, or the need for you to attend certain meetings.

You may experience pushback - explain the reasons and the benefits to the boundary. Look for areas that have minimal impact to others when setting your boundaries and then focus on larger stake situations. Employers that value the importance of what you do will support you and your need to set boundaries.

As a startup founder, it can be easy to work endlessly - your passion and emotion driving you to continually work with little breaks. However, not taking a break can mean losing perspective, losing valuable employees. 

The goal of setting boundaries is to protect your time, your energy to live your life. Understand at times there will be trade-offs. Create a list of nonnegotiables to keep you in check. For those that are struggling, taking a break can actually help to increase passion and motivation to achieve your goals.

Need help setting boundaries and goals? Contact Us for a free 30-minute consultation.

FunFact Friday

Did you know that there is a pan that has been designed specifically for those people who like ‘edge’ brownies? Where at least two sides of every brownie will have that chewy, crispy crunch?  Baker’s Edge created the pan specifically for those that love the edge. The design includes a zig-zag maze to make sure every slice has an edge. And for those that love the middle - you are faced with a very skinny brownie, or you will need to endure the horror of eating the edge.