Do you schedule time to explore your interests? Do you have time just to yourself? Or do you feel like people are taking advantage of you? If you do not set boundaries with people, you will feel stressed, overwhelmed, and burnt out.
Boundaries are simple rules that protect you, your time, and your passions. These are the things that people can’t do to you.
It’s almost impossible for anyone to be successful and happy without setting strong boundaries.
For example, a colleague of mine only answers emails between 1pm and 4pm. Mornings are reserved for focused work.
I have a boundary that Monday through Friday, from 5pm is my personal time that I spend with my family or do something that I enjoy. I don’t take any meetings, or any type of work whatsoever from that time. This is the time for me to focus on personal activities and my team knows that they cannot have that time.
Setting boundaries is all about learning how to say ‘no’. Initially, people will try to push back. You might feel that you’re letting them down. But in those moments, it’s helpful to remember that when you say “no” to things, you’re also saying ‘yes’ to the pursuits that truly energise and excite you.
This is particularly important now, when most of us are working from home and the separation between work time and personal time is not so clear anymore.
To keep your life in balance, you must establish and communicate clear boundaries. You need to set aside sacred time for what is important to you, and make sure your colleagues understand that.
You may think that it’s selfish to have time just for yourself. Actually, it’s okay to be totally selfish sometimes. What is more, it’s necessary. Not setting powerful boundaries leads to resentment. But, when you take regular time for yourself and your passions, you’ll quickly realise that all other aspects of your life improve as well. I
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TRY IT:
Look at your calendar and block off time just for yourself and your interests. Don’t let anyone take that time from you. Make it sacred. Say ‘no’ to other things, and say ‘yes’ to yourself.