Work can be stressful. Deadlines, presentations, and long workdays can make work tough at times. However, when work starts to impact your health and personal life, it’s a sign that you may need to set more boundaries at work.
Here are 5 signs that you may be struggling with boundaries at work and some ways to go about setting boundaries to protect your time, health, and relationships.
Your Mental Health is Declining
If you feel like your mental health is declining due to work, it’s a sign that you may need to set more boundaries. When you’re overworked, burnout can happen, which causes a loss of motivation and decline in mental health. You may also feel depressed or hopeless because you feel overwhelmed with work.
If you are experiencing these feelings, boundaries at work may help. If you feel like you have too much work, talk to your supervisor and let them know that you need to reduce your workload. You need to have time for yourself and your life outside of work, in order for you to be the best you can be. If you are struggling with other conflicts at work, it’s important to determine the source of the problem and what boundaries you need to set to resolve it.
You Feel Like You Can’t Say No
You should always feel like you can set boundaries and say no when a task is overwhelming or outside of your job duties. If you find yourself working off the clock or on your days off, that is a major sign that you need to set more boundaries at work. You are not responsible for responding to work communications or completing other tasks when you’re not at work. Next time people contact you and expect a reply when you’re not at work, when you’re back at work, remind them that you are not obligated to reply to work emails when you’re not at work. You shouldn’t feel guilty for setting boundaries like these.
It’s also a good idea to get into the habit of not replying to work emails when off the clock. While you always have the option to respond to communications when you want, people may come to expect it of you if you consistently reply when you’re off the clock. Making it a point to work only when you’re at work helps set a work-life balance and maintain personal boundaries.
Work is Disrupting Personal Relationships
A healthy job should not cause problems in your personal life and relationships. If your relationships with your family, friends, or spouse is struggling because of work, it’s a sign that you may need to set more boundaries. If you find yourself lashing out at others or feeling like you don’t ever have the energy to do fun things, it’s a sign that you may be overworked or not feeling supported at work. It’s important to set boundaries if you notice yourself doing these things, so that you have time to dedicate to your family and other priorities outside of work.
You’re Doing More Than Your Job Description
There are times when you may have the opportunity to explore something new at work or when you’re doing something a little different than normal. However, you shouldn’t have extra work that you’re responsible for, on top of what your job entails. You are responsible for what you were hired to do. It’s not fair to have additional responsibilities piled on, which could impact the time you spend working each week and your mental health. This will lead to being overworked.
If you feel like work is being assigned to you that you shouldn’t be responsible for, talk to your supervisor about it. You may want to clarify what your role entails and set boundaries about the additional work that you’re not interested in taking on.
You’re Anxious About Work
If you find yourself constantly thinking about work or feeling anxious about going to work, it’s a sign that you need to set boundaries to have a better work-life balance. You shouldn’t always be worried about work or feel dreadful about having to go to work. If you find yourself feeling these things, consider where the stress is coming from. Is it from having too much work? Is it coming from a certain conflict or person? Once you determine why you’re having negative feelings about work, decide which boundaries you need to set to have a happier outlook on work.
Get Help with Setting Boundaries
Setting boundaries is an important part of maintaining good work-life balance and ensuring that you have time to rest when not at work. However, setting boundaries can be hard. It may be difficult to figure out where stress is coming from and determine which boundaries you need to set.
Our therapists in downtown Chicago and online can help you with setting boundaries at work and in other areas of your life. Schedule an appointment here.
If you struggle with setting boundaries, individual counseling may help with managing work stress and relationships. Learn more about our therapists and schedule an appointment online today.
