On the flip side, we put everyone else’s needs before our own when we don’t set boundaries, which may mean saying many “no’s” to things we actually want. This may be especially hard if you’re working remotely. Knowing how to set boundaries at work becomes very hectic when there is no marked line between a home place and a workplace.[1] Working from home means your home becomes your office. Many times, you may cross the line and destroy your comfort zone. Thus, it is necessary to set boundaries at work, even when you turn your living room into an office.
Setting Boundaries at Work When Working Remotely
Setting boundaries at work is vital for our emotional, mental, and physical well-being.[2] With the right methods, it becomes easier to mark the line. Here are 13 incredible methods to know how to set boundaries at work when working at home.
1. Find Motivation to Set Boundaries
Your time is precious, and would it be better used if you set boundaries? Ask yourself and find the motivation. Find something that will compel you to mark and create boundaries. Having a strong motivation to do something pushes us forward to work harder for that goal. Strengthening our motivation makes us more powerful to accomplish what we desire, such as executing plans, boosting our talents, and even setting boundaries at work.[3] Working remotely feels like you are not working the way you should. It always seems like there’s more to do. Therefore, creating boundaries means enjoying your time when the work for the day is completed.
2. Don’t Listen to Your Fears
We’re always afraid of the consequences; it is one of the primary reasons why we aren’t good at setting boundaries at work. The consequences can be due to the fear of missing out, losing a job, etc. To beat your fears, you need to list all of the beliefs you have about boundaries and then rate them. For instance, will you get fired if you don’t instantly reply to the email your boss sent after working hours? Or is it just a mere story your mind believes? Note any unrealistic beliefs that could be detrimental to you, as you may need to tweak the upcoming strategies to adjust for them. As you’re working at home, plan a weekly check-in with your team or boss to ensure that you meet your job’s demands.
3. Make an Ideal Timetable
One of the advantages of working distantly is forming schedules around your working hours. If you could make an ideal timetable for the day, what could that be? Would it align with your work schedule? Moreover, setting boundaries means carving out time for lunch breaks. You may now be bringing food to your desk while working from home. But, you need to ask yourself, is it what you would be doing if you are at your office? It is one of the most crucial setting boundaries at work examples. You may find it to be a very simple thing, but it is a matter to look into. Carve out meal times, yoga sessions, meditation minutes, or an instant workout throughout your day. Furthermore, setting boundaries means giving attention to your mental and physical health as well.
4. Reschedule your Calendar to Align With Your Timetable
You must update your calendar to fit your new timetable. Block off the times you don’t wish to be available. This removes the likelihood of being booked for a meeting when you don’t want to. If someone books you in your blocked time, kindly tell them you’re unavailable. You can even ask them politely to rearrange the meeting seeing your schedule.
5. Define Your Five Priorities and Don’t Compromise
Lie down, relax, and ask yourself what the five most important things to you are at this moment. Afterward, when you get a work request, think for a moment before responding to check it against your priorities. If it suits you, amazing! If not, kindly ask the person if there are other possibilities.
6. Communication is the Key
It can be harder to communicate in a remote domain, so this step is particularly significant. The last thing you wish is to get troubled due to your boundaries. So often, it’s not that you have a boundary that annoys your coworker. It’s that your coworker didn’t know your whereabouts or the current status of the work. If you’re logging off during the day, tell your team how long you’ll be unavailable and when you’re expected to join back. Whether you require to step out to feel relaxed or have an emergency, informing your team or manager with a message can ease workplace tensions or miscommunication.
7. Generate a Mutual Work Relationship
Depending on the type of your job, sometimes you may have urgent requests to handle. In this scenario, having a helping hand can be of great help. Creating boundaries is evaluating how much work you are able to do without affecting your mental and personal health. Have a buddy system, you will help and encourage one another if either person’s plates are too full.
8. Learn to Say “No”
Why is saying no so hard? For the reason that it makes you believe that your fears are real; thus, the keyword here is “could.” The best approach to work on this distress is to rehearse saying no. Initiate with something unimportant and slowly find your way to the real world nos. After a while, it will become easier, and soon you will have a status for sticking to your marked boundaries. It is something that others will appreciate. Just a little reminder here – saying no means saying yes to something else. Utilize your time in something that is worthy of your yes.
9. Set an Example
Boundaries are splendid; they are something we desire in other people. Every so often, it is about imitating those traits and executing them yourself. Have an open conversation with your boss or team leader on the different ways of setting boundaries with employees when working remotely. Many times, employees need examples and are prone to following their manager’s lead. Setting healthy boundaries together can lead to more engaged and happy employees as a result.
10. Delegate Tasks to Other Team Members
Along with saying no, delegating tasks to other members of the team is additional challenge people may have, specifically when working in the office. Everyone has to do a lot of different tasks, and working remotely makes it difficult to comprehend everyone’s amount of work. A feeling that surfaces when delegating tasks may include feeling guilty for intentionally increasing someone else’s workload. Allot a small number of items to your team, mainly if it works better for operation. Likewise, don’t conclude what a team member can or can’t manage. That’s on them and their capability to follow their boundaries and inform otherwise.
11. Ask for a Helping Hand
Following the guidance above, if you’re finding your workload too hefty to accomplish or that all your deliverables are due at the same time, ask for help. Many times, when working away from the office, we lean to take on more than we’re able to handle. Your manager and the leadership team are paid well for a reason—to aid in solving the employees’ troubles. Don’t wait for the end, and talk to them halfway by tracking your work and seeing how much time a single task may take. Managers can lower the workload, alter deadlines, or remove some tasks from your list.
12. Have a Proper Off-Time
Working at home has made it difficult to finish the work at the day’s end. Part of setting boundaries also requires you to say “yes” to your needs. Turn off your laptop and work notifications on your phone when Visualize plugging your phone to charge, yet disconnecting it every two minutes; the battery will not fully charge. Our minds and bodies are not very different in this matter. We need to detach ourselves from work to reboot and enjoy the outside world.
13. Evaluate and Tweak
Similar to how a new product follows numerous iterations, so can our plans and procedures. You need to set some boundaries to see whether you are a pro and know how to set boundaries at work. Tweak any that don’t give the right impression and then test it over again. Acquire a system that suits you and ask your coworkers how they handle their work boundaries.
Final Thoughts
On the whole, setting boundaries at work is hard, particularly in a remote world where we sense that we should be more promptly available. However, it is also crucial to look after our well-being. What’s key is setting and sticking to boundaries that benefit you and identifying any hurdles along the way. Remember, you must not forget to connect your work and individual requirements, and apply the best way of setting boundaries at work. Featured photo credit: Surface via unsplash.com
