In the last blog we addressed disagreement and misunderstandings and offered you some keys to conflict management at work. Today, we talk about a conflict prevention strategy: setting healthy boundaries. Do you think you set them easily? What are the benefits of this? How to say no when you want to say no?
Investing in mental health is investing in well-being, it is investing in generating a healthy environment for your organization. As explained in this article from RRHHDigital, for every dollar invested in the expanded treatment of common mental disorders, there is a return of $4 in improved health and productivity.
When it comes to determining what behavior is or is not acceptable, when we generate independence, we work with healthy boundaries in the professional setting. When we set boundaries, far from distancing ourselves from our superiors or colleagues, what we do is create a comfortable work environment in which we can properly develop our work activity.
The first steps to set limits at work
Perhaps a good first step is to get to know the place where you work and its structure. Do you know how to prioritize? Who do you report to? Who assigns you your tasks? How do you contact other workers? Is there someone to supervise you?
As Bethany Ledbetter Blank explains, most organizations have rules about what is considered acceptable to use in the workplace. In addition, you and your co-workers can set interpersonal boundaries in the same way. Having these healthy boundaries facilitates good, efficient work and accountability.
The relationship between burnout and boundaries
At Wemby we have an article on burnout. In today’s competitive and demanding work culture, more and more people are facing burnout. Everyone finds it difficult to get quality jobs that motivate them. Even if they like the work itself, the salaries are often low and the working hours are exhausting, so work-life balance comes into conflict when it comes to reconciling the different areas of an individual’s life. The quest for money and success often leads people to overwork in jobs that they hate or with which they do not feel minimally fulfilled, leading to different levels of burnout.
What does this have to do with boundaries? Properly setting boundaries at work can prevent us from reaching the levels of burnout, frustration and stress that are associated with burnout.
54% of workers in a survey confirm that they have found the transition to telecommuting very easy, and would like to work from home even after the pandemic. Does this have to do with limits set “to suit everyone’s taste”?
Intuit recommends some tips for setting healthy boundaries:
- Learn to say no when you really want to say no.
- Respect your breaks. Try to meet your deadlines as well as your work hours.
- Work on assertive communication with your coworkers and superiors. Communicate your needs and ask for help if you need it.
- Silence notifications outside working hours.
- Prioritize tasks according to what is urgent and important, as explained in this Wemby article.
Despite these tips, you may feel that the situation at work is beyond you. Do you need a raise in hours, a raise in pay? Is there an uncomfortable situation you want to share? Do you need help managing? Contacting professionals can provide you with a personalized and timely solution, before you reach serious problems of stress, anxiety or burnout. Psychologists can help you find the balance between your personal life and your work before it’s too late.
Only at Wemby we make an initial assessment of the problem, then we assign the right professional for each user and design a tailor-made plan. This process is constantly reviewed and when it is finished we offer analytics and a final report of our work.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Laura Lillo, a forensic and clinical psychologist. I strongly believe that psychology services should be accessible to all. I’ve worked in prisons and with kids with risks of social exclusion. This has taught me the importance of constant learning and improvement as a person and as a therapist.
If I’m not cooking, drawing or singing, the most likely scenario is that I’m playing board games. Right now, I’m busy learning and writing content for Wemby, an online psychology platform. During my weekends I’m Game Master in Exit Madrid, a escape rooms company.
