Setting Expectations for Work Availability

A Chief of Staff’s strength isn’t always being available.     It’s trusting themselves enough to step back.      As a Chief of Staff, your team and your leader relies on you… a lot.      You’re their go-to. Their problem solver. Their safety net.     The one who keeps things running even when they’re in back-to-back meetings, on the road, or deep in strategy mode.     But here’s the thing: you can’t be any of those things if you’re burnt out.     Boundaries aren’t about stepping away from your responsibilities. They’re about ensuring you can lead effectively when it matters most.     So, how do you set boundaries while keeping trust intact?     Start here:     🟡 Set Clear Expectations     ↳ Define your availability and stick to it. Communicate your “office hours” and when you’re off the clock.    ↳ Align with your exec on what truly needs your attention versus what can be delegated.     🟡 Define ‘Urgent’ Together     ↳ Not everything needs an immediate response. Decide what’s urgent and what can wait.    ↳ Protect focus by distinguishing between urgent and routine tasks.     🟡 Use Technology Wisely     ↳ Automate where possible. Set clear OOO messages and delegate tasks.    ↳ Turn off unnecessary notifications so you’re not distracted by things that can wait.     🟡 Lead by Example     ↳ Respect your boundaries, and others will too. Model sustainable leadership and make time for rest.    ↳ When you prioritize well-being, your team will follow suit.     🟡 Create a Handoff System     ↳ Build a capable team that can manage in your absence. Define clear roles and responsibilities.    ↳ Set processes that empower others to take over without confusion.     🟡 Retrain Yourself to Disconnect     ↳ Trust your team to handle things while you’re offline. The work will still be there when you return.    ↳ Rest is part of leadership. Recharge to be more focused and effective.     🟡 Reassess Regularly     ↳ Periodically check in with your team to see if boundaries are working or need adjusting.    ↳ Get feedback and stay open to adapting as your role or team evolves.     The best Chiefs of Staff don’t just manage chaos—they manage their energy.     Because when you set boundaries, you show up sharper. More focused. More effective.     So, say it with me:     “I won’t be checking email, so if you need anything, please give me a call.”     And then? Actually, disconnect.    In the comments: How do you set boundaries in a high-demand role?     ♻ Share to help spread awareness of the Chief of Staff role.       👋 Follow Maggie Olson for daily CoS & leadership insights.  

After 5 months of searching. 172 applications. 14 first-round interviews. 6 final-round interviews. And countless rejections. My client Melissa finally received the offer she'd been dreaming of: Senior Marketing Director at a fast-growing tech company. $145K base salary (a $30K increase). Comprehensive benefits. Hybrid work arrangement (3 days in office). Clear path to VP level. On paper? Perfect. But when we reviewed the offer together, she hesitated. "The money's great, but..." Her current role was fully remote. The new position required those 3 days in-office, with "occasional travel" mentioned casually during interviews. As a single mom with two kids in elementary school, those 3 office days meant: • Waking up 90 minutes earlier • After-school care costs • Rushed mornings and evenings • Limited flexibility for school events • Constant logistics juggling The "occasional travel" was equally concerning. So we did something radical. Rather than accepting or declining, we crafted a counter: Same salary. Same title. But fully remote with quarterly in-person meetings. The hiring manager initially balked. "This role requires in-office collaboration." We asked for data to support that claim. They couldn't provide any. After a week of back-and-forth, they agreed to: • 1 day in office per week • Travel limited to 1 trip per month • Flexible hours to accommodate school drop-off/pickup • Written agreement these terms wouldn't change Melissa accepted. Three months in, her boss admitted the arrangement is working better than expected. Her productivity is higher than her in-office peers. The lesson? The job description is the STARTING point of negotiation, not the final word. What you need as a human being matters more than what's on the job listing. Work-life balance isn't just a buzzword. It's a legitimate business requirement that impacts your performance and wellbeing. Your non-salary needs are just as negotiable as your compensation. And sometimes, the thing you need most isn't more money—it's a work arrangement that respects your whole life. What's something important you've negotiated beyond salary? Share below! #JobNegotiation #WorkLifeBalance #CareerStrategy #RemoteWork #JobSearch #ResumeWriting P.S. Every client I've worked with who negotiated flexible work arrangements reported higher job satisfaction after 6 months than those who only negotiated salary. Sometimes the most valuable compensation isn't deposited in your bank account.

How to set boundaries in the workplace, especially if you are an introvert You feel… - Constant Fatigue and Burnout - Blurred Lines Between Work and Personal Time - Difficulty in Saying 'No' - Increased Stress and Anxiety Levels - Neglecting Personal Priorities - Strained Relationships 💡 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐒𝐞𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 💡 🟣 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Say: “I’ll follow up with you on this by email, but I need to get back to work now.” It keeps the conversation positive and respectful. 🟣 𝐃𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 Add a daily or weekly slot in your calendar as “focus time” or “busy” and mark it as nonnegotiable. You could even name it creatively, like “Deep Work Hour,” to signal its importance. 🟣 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞-𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 Add a line to your email signature: "I reply to emails within 24 hours for non-urgent matters.” Alternatively, set an auto-responder to manage expectations. 🟣 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 If possible, leave your desk to eat lunch or take a walk. This signals to others that you’re on break and helps you mentally reset. 🟣 𝐁𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 Schedule a “transition time” block on your calendar between meetings or tasks. Name it something clear, like “5-Min Transition,” to prevent others from double-booking it. 💎 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 💎 Before you say Yes to a request or invitation, PAUSE! Pause before you say yes, pause before you commit, learn about low-stakes boundaries and how to provide alternatives. An alternative is like negotiating for your time and energy. So, how do you plan to begin setting boundaries at work in 2025? Let me know in the comments! ⬇️ #worklifebalance #boundaries #workplaceboundaries #careerbutterfly

7 Phrases to Set Boundaries at Work: (Protect your time, energy, and sanity) If you don’t set boundaries, work will take all the space it can. Saying “yes” to everything leads to burnout, resentment, and exhaustion. Here are 7 powerful phrases to set boundaries at work (without guilt) + how to use them effectively: 1. "I’m happy to help, but I’ll need more time to do it well." → A polite way to push back on unrealistic deadlines. → Protects your quality of work and mental health. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Instead of accepting deadlines immediately, ask what the true priority is and negotiate a realistic timeline. 2. "I’m at full capacity right now. Can we revisit this next week?" → Prevents you from being overloaded. → Shows you’re open to helping—just not immediately. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Keep a workload tracker so you can confidently say when you’ll be available next. 3. "I’d love to, but I need to prioritize my current workload." → Communicates that you have other priorities. → Reinforces that your time is valuable. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Politely remind the requester of your existing commitments and, if necessary, loop in leadership to align priorities. 4. "I won’t be available outside of work hours, but I’ll handle this first thing tomorrow." → Protects your personal time. → Sets a clear expectation without sounding uncooperative. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Set clear expectations about your work hours in advance—use email signatures or status updates as reminders. 5. "I’d be happy to do that, but I’ll need to delegate something else." → Puts the responsibility back on them to manage priorities. → Encourages a realistic distribution of work. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Ask your manager which task should take priority and make them aware of trade-offs before accepting more work. 6. "I appreciate the opportunity, but I’ll have to pass this time." → Gives a respectful no without over-explaining. → Prevents you from stretching yourself too thin. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Keep it short and confident—avoid apologizing or over-justifying your decision. 7. "I need more clarity before I commit to this." → Ensures you fully understand what’s being asked. → Helps avoid last-minute surprises or extra work. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Before saying “yes,” ask for specifics on expectations, deadlines, and resources available. Your time is your most valuable resource—protect it wisely. What’s your go-to phrase for setting boundaries? Let me know in the comments below 👇 --- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost for your network. ➕ Follow Dr Alexander Young for daily insights on productivity, leadership, and AI.