Creating Healthy Work-Life Boundaries
We live in a world with constant demands on our time, it's easy to go without boundaries. This can lead to burnout and other negative effects that can harm your work life and home life. Because we know this, it is important to set boundaries before they are needed.
The goal of setting boundaries is to prevent burnout. Not only will boundaries help improve productivity, but they can also contribute to a healthier lifestyle both for both home and the workplace! Establishing clear boundaries creates more time for you which means less stress on your body. It may seem difficult or impossible now but with some planning, it becomes easier to manage between our home and work lives. Let's get started by…
Understanding that "Work-Life Balance" does not exist - If we truly define what it means to be balanced (to make steady by keeping weight equal on all sides) then we know that there is no real "balance" in life. You are going to drop the ball or give something/someone more of you, and guess what...That is OK.
Planning - To establish boundaries, we need a plan for how our work and life will look which includes our responsibilities outside of work and how these things will fit into your workday.
Knowing that maintaining personal time is essential to be productive at home/work - The whole point of setting up healthy boundaries is so it can feel easier for us when the unexpected happens! If we're not taking care of ourselves then who else can?
Disconnecting - Europe has established a culture that allows individuals to seamlessly incorporate work-life boundaries. Take France’s “Right to Disconnect” law, which states employees do not have to take calls or read emails related to work during their time off. If you are a leader in your organization, lead by example by not sending emails after work hours. You can schedule emails to go out at a later time if it is something you need to send while it is top of mind. If you are an individual contributor, bring this up at your next 1:1 with your manager, let them know what hours you are available to respond and what needs to happen in emergencies.
Remembering what matters to you the most - Is going to the gym every day or attending your child's extracurricular events each week a non-negotiable? At the end of the day, what matters is you and your family. Identify your needs make those decisions, and keep moving forward.
Working too much can lead to burnout, which may have a negative impact on your health and performance. Taking time off from work is not only good for you but also for the company’s productivity. The boundaries that we put in place at work help us to maintain a healthy balance.