Respectful Boundaries

There are many different personal boundaries at work that, when acknowledged and respected, make for a fairer more equitable work environment. Here, we focus on the importance of respecting workload boundaries - an issue we are hearing more of.

What is a boundary? The dictionary definition is “a line which marks the limits of an area; a dividing line”. So inherent in the word boundary is knowing our own and other people’s limits.

Let’s look at two examples.

• After Jim said ‘yes, sure, I’ll take care of that’ to the sixth person that day, he realised he had a problem. How was he going to get all this done? There was still his own work to do, and he’d promised to help all these other people. Another late night…
• Sarah was great at strategy and planning – came as second nature to her. She had risen up the ranks fast. She liked working long hours, and expected others to do the same. It wasn’t unusual to receive an email from Sarah that had been sent after midnight asking for work to be completed that same day, regardless of the other work the person had planned.

While there are many differences in their behaviours, one thing that is similar between these two people is their lack of acknowledgment of and respect for workload boundaries.  In Jim’s case, it’s lack of acknowledgement of his own boundaries. There is a saying that any strength, when taken to extremes, becomes a weakness. Jim’s wish to help others is commendable – we all like it when a colleague offers to assist us with something. But in Jim’s case, he is helping so much that his own work is suffering – and it’s quite possibly negatively affecting his own wellbeing.

In Sarah’s case, again, the ability to work long hours and bring others along for the ride can certainly help boost productivity and produce great results – but taken to extremes, it leads to others burning out, and perhaps becoming resentful that their own priorities are not being acknowledged.

Do you relate to either of these two examples?

At AccessEAP we counsel many people who feel pushed to do more and more, and feel it is in some ways their own failing that they can’t get all the work done. “If only I were better at time management” they say, or “If only I could be more efficient,” where the truth is that they are constantly overstepping their own boundaries, taking on more than they can handle. The other side of this is wanting others to be more resilient so they can do more. Again, absolutely nothing wrong with building a resilient team. But, acknowledging that building resilience can go hand-in-hand with looking at systemic ways that work is handled more effectively and efficiently, plus acknowledging that people have limits that if crossed impacts on their health and wellbeing, will help create a healthier organisation.

Working together to design healthy, sustainable work practices, especially as we get used to the post-lockdown combination of working from home and the office, is important so that we an all find our balance, and, in the words of positive psychology, find ways to thrive.

To arrange an appointment, please call AccessEAP on 1800 818 728.

 

Stephen Malloch, AccessEAP Senior Clinician

 

Photo by RODNAE Productions.