As a busy professional, you have a lot of things to juggle. But it’s important to remember that your time and energy are limited resources. That means it’s imperative for you to know when you need help with something so that you can focus on what you do best. It will require a little effort up front, but in the long run, it will pay off in that you will be freed up to concentrate on what matters instead of “maintaining” other less important aspects of your professional life.
In order to succeed professionally, you must learn to set boundaries. Here are some tips for setting boundaries with your time:
- Evaluate the pros and cons of each boundary that will need to be set.
- Keep your relationships professional.
- Get a coach. There’s no shame in working with an expert who can help you set goals and provide accountability. This is one way of getting the support needed to stay on track.
- Know what you want to achieve and why, so that you can make sure it’s a goal worth investing in.
- Find someone you can trust and delegate work or tasks to them so that you have more time on your hands.
For example, if one of the boundaries is “no business talk after hours,” then it’s important to find a way for people who don’t know this boundary not to cross the line.
The boundaries will be less significant if you don’t have anyone else who can take on those tasks or responsibilities for you.
- Know when it’s okay not to answer emails or phone calls immediately. It might feel like a good idea at the time, but being reactive all day long will drain both your energy levels and morale! Instead, work with clients who are on call for emergencies only or set aside specific times of the day for responding so you won’t have constant interruptions during business hours.
- The last thing you can do is to stop making excuses and start setting boundaries.