Strategies for Better Work-Life Boundaries Through Soft Skills

7 Ways To Set Boundaries At Work (Maintain Balance Without Hurting Your Growth): 1. Define, Share, & Stick To Working Hours Setting clear boundaries around the time that you’re “on” at work is a two-for-one deal: - It makes it easier for you to put work away at the end of the day - It makes it easier for your colleagues to know when you’re “on” What To Do: In upcoming 1:1s, mention that you had some changes outside of work and will be signing off at X time, but will be available any time before that. Then stick to it! 2. Don’t Reply To Messages Immediately When you reply to everything as soon as you get it, people begin to expect that from you. Building in a buffer sets new expectations that you’re not going to drop everything to make someone else’s To Do item your problem. What To Do: Set a rule for yourself where you won’t reply to non-critical emails or Slack for at least [Time]. You can start small (say, 5 minutes) then begin to work your way up. 3. Use The “Substitution Method” For New Asks Saying yes to new initiatives can mean stretching yourself too thin. If you feel like too much is on your plate, try the “Substitution Method.” What To Do: When given a new ask: - Thank them for looping you in - Outline all the projects you’re working on - Ask which should be deprioritized for this When you make people realize that saying yes to this means deprioritizing something else, they’ll think twice. 4. Block “Focus Time” On Your Calendar The average employee is interrupted 56 times per day. That only leaves 8.5 minutes between interrupts. What To Do: Put a placeholder on your calendar where you’re marked as busy. During that time, stop notifications on Slack, email, etc. Then focus on the biggest task you have. Start small with 15 minutes, then add 15 minutes every week or two until you’re up to 2-3 hours. 5. Take An Actual Lunch Break Too many of us “eat” lunch while we continue to hunch over our screens and work. Your body, eyes, and brain need breaks to perform at optimal levels. Use lunch as one of these. What To Do: Block time on your calendar to eat lunch. When the time comes, close your computer and go to a different room to eat. Bonus points if you eat without your phone and go for a quick walk after. 6. Respect Colleagues’ Boundaries Society is built on reciprocity. Make sure you’re aware of, and respecting other peoples’ boundaries. They’ll notice this and they’ll be more likely to respect yours in return. What To Do: Be proactive in learning about your colleagues’ ideal setup. Ask them when their working hours are, ask when the best times for meetings are, etc. 7. Start With One & Start Small It’s tempting to try to implement all of these all at once. Don’t do that. What To Do: Pick one that resonates with you. Think about the smallest step you can take for it (e.g. time blocking for 15 minutes, not replying to messages for 5 minutes) and start there.

Stop apologizing for setting boundaries at work. Stand firm with these 15 moves: I spent (many) years apologizing for needing focused work time, taking earned vacations, and saying no to draining commitments. Until I realized: Setting boundaries isn't about being difficult - it's about teaching people how to value you. Here are the exact scripts that changed everything: 1. Setting healthy boundaries in high-pressure environments ↳Use calendar color-coding to signal focus time vs. collaborative hours 2. Taking their full vacation time to prevent burnout ↳Schedule mini-breaks leading up to longer vacations for smoother transitions 3. Disconnecting completely during personal time ✨ ↳Designate a shutdown ritual (close all tabs, clear desk...) to end the work day 4. Declining meetings without clear agendas ↳Offer weekly Office Hours as an alternative to ad-hoc meetings 5. Asking for compensation that matches their value ↳Document revenue generated + costs saved by your work 6. Speaking up about unrealistic deadlines ↳Develop metrics based on past projects to accurately predict timelines 7. Prioritizing mental health over hustle culture ↳Create (and use!) quiet spaces designated for quick mental breaks. Lead by example here ✨ 8. Saying no to unpaid extra responsibilities ↳Try: "Thanks for thinking of me, let's discuss the value exchange" 9. Leaving toxic work environments without guilt ↳Write a Clean Exit memo for yourself - focus on your future plans, not past problems 10. Requiring work-life integration that works for them ↳Create Life-First Blocks, and schedule personal commitments before work ones (I do this every Sunday) 11. Standing firm on their expertise in meetings ↳Start responses with "Based on my experience handling X similar situations..." 🙌🏼 12. Taking time to think before committing to projects ↳Consider: "Would I want this on my plate a month from now?" 13. Protecting their team from unnecessary stress ↳Ask "Is this urgent, important, or interesting?" for every new task 14. Choosing growth over comfort zones ↳Design mini experiments to test new approaches and build confidence 15. Leading with empathy instead of authority ↳Spend 2 hrs monthly doing your team's most challenging tasks - share what you learn as a group ✨ Your boundaries are a blueprint for how you deserve to be treated. No apologies needed. Which boundary can you work on setting this week (without apologizing)? -- ♻️ Repost to boost your network's confidence 🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for daily insights on building confidence & setting powerful boundaries

Saying yes to everything is NOT the key to success. Setting boundaries matters. Top performers use these 12: 1. Limit Distractions ↳Protect certain hours for deep work, and shut off all distractions during those times 2. Say no ↳Decline opportunities or projects that don't fit your priorities, whenever you can 3. Define Hours ↳Don't respond to texts, calls, DMs, or emails outside your established working hours 4. Pick Your People ↳Spend time and form connections with those who encourage, inspire, and recharge you, and let go of those who do not 5. Know Your Worth ↳Value your time and experience adequately, declining unpaid work or favors for those you aren't especially close with 6. Self-Advocate ↳Say something when you feel your effort and time are not properly valued at work 7. Define Balance ↳Clarify work-life boundaries, setting a schedule that you stick to so your work remains sustainably balanced 8. Take "You" Time ↳Block time for things that fill you up, ensuring not just that you have time away from work, but time for yourself, too 9. Distinguish Your Identity from Work ↳Set a mental boundary, knowing that your identity and worth are not defined by your position or pay 10. Make Rest a Priority ↳Ensure you schedule big breaks, like vacations, as well as frequent smaller ones throughout each day 11. Push Back ↳Don't let yourself take on excessive work: call out when you're at capacity, and ask for help prioritizing 12. Cut Negative People ↳Reduce how much you're around complaining, drama, gossip, and other non-productive talk Setting boundaries is hard! Saying no can feel like you're rejecting or disrespecting others. But what you're really doing is respecting yourself - and your time. And that will let you be even more available and present for the things that truly matter. Are there other boundaries you've found effective? --- ♻ Repost to help your network protect their energy. And follow me George Stern for more content like this.