This is a guest blog written by Natalie Thompson, Back Office Manager at Archer Resourcing.
The average full-time worker in the UK spends 42.5 hours at work according to a report which translates to being at work for more than a third of the 120 hours between Monday – Friday. And while earning an income is necessary to provide yourself with necessities like food, it’s not the only priority in life.
Setting boundaries at work should be a big priority as it leads to you being more efficient, confident, and most importantly, less stressed.
Saying “yes” at work to anything and everything can be tempting. By making yourself available and taking on extra responsibilities or staying late, you may think you’re setting yourself apart but being too accommodating might also set you up for unjust stress and burnout. Below are my tips on how to set boundaries at work at sticking to them.
Identifying burnout
Firstly, we need to establish the signs of burnout. Those who experience burnout don’t always believe, or realise, that their symptoms are caused by their job. It’s important to recognise the symptoms so that you know when to get help and act. The major signs of burnout can show themselves as:
- Emotional exhaustion
- Physical fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Decreased work performance
- Job dissatisfaction
The consequence of burnout is not only detrimental to your health by increasing your susceptibility to illness and chronic disease. but it can also impact your finances by resulting in missed income, loss of bonus and even missing out on promotions.
Identifying your priorities
List out your top priorities in addition to work to see how you should allocate your time and energy. Spending time with loved ones or on hobbies is a great way to relax and switch off from work pressures, so be sure to schedule time in for who and what you love when planning your working week. It’s no secret that plans don’t always go the way you hoped they would, so being open to compromise is going to be an important skill to accept and master. And remember to be open to the fact that our priorities can change over time.
Communicate clearly
Communication is key when it comes to workplace boundaries. Fostering positive communication among all employees will help avoid misunderstandings and difficult conversations. Some ways to clearly communicate with your team could be;
- Let your team know you sign off at a certain time every day
- When you’re out of the office, be clear about what you’re prepared to respond to and be available for
- Put a note in your email signatures stating your working days and hours. It might even be worth letting people know that you don’t expect a response outside of their working hours.
Delegate work when and where appropriate
Prior planning will help you to identify what time you must dedicate to each task that’s expected of you. Sometimes (as previously mentioned) things won’t go as planned. If you find yourself in a position where you’re not going to be able to complete a task, delegate it to someone who can help. Equally, when work is completely outside of your scope of responsibility.
Take time off
Letting annual leave allowance build-up is not a point of pride. Annual leave is compensation for the hours of work you do which has been earned. Taking time off is vital in promoting good physical and mental health in the workplace and will help improve your work-life balance. Taking time to rest and do more of what you love will only benefit you in the long run by helping with productivity and lowering stress levels.
Keep your relationships professional
We all love having a work nest friend but sometimes those relationships become tricky which is understandable from the prospect of boundaries. We’re not saying don’t have an at work confidant or close friend, but it’s probably worth considering keeping your work relationships mostly professional by separating your friends from your co-workers. Oversharing your personal life could make others feel uncomfortable so it’s probably best to save your credibility and leave that information out of your lunchtime catch-ups.
Boundaries help you set realistic goals and expectations, which tells the company you work for what to expect from you and what you can expect from them. Performance discussions, coaching and mentoring all help you to set and manage your expectations within your workplace.
Author bio:
“I’ve worked in recruitment for over 10 years, during which time I have developed an interest in how the behind-the-scenes of the industry works including the legal and marketing aspects.
I’ve been with Archer Resourcing for 3 years in January where I manage the back office, do our marketing and am working towards being qualified in PR. I am passionate about having happy staff and ensuring everyone has the resources they need to be successful”
To find out more about Archer Resourcing, visit https://www.archerresourcing.co.uk/
