For most professionals in the field of law, the workplace is perhaps one of the most important aspects in their day to day lives. Be it in litigation, or at a law firm, or working as an in-house counsel, the legal profession is immensely demanding in terms of time and work, especially in the formative years of an individual. For example, most law firms require that freshers work upwards of 60 hours a week in India as well as abroad. Add to that the cut-throat competition in the professional space and the constant race to prove one’s value. Overall, given the amount of time that the professional spends at work, it has become immensely important to set viable boundaries at the workplace to sustain one’s mental health and avoid burning out from the stress at work.
In this article, Team YLCC discusses how to set boundaries at work without creating negative repercussions and the importance of doing so. Read on!
WHAT EXACTLY ARE BOUNDARIES AT WORK?
Setting boundaries at work refers to the practice of establishing and maintaining healthy professional practices for yourself. This may include certain reasonable restrictions that allow you to keep the distinction between your work life and personal life. Setting boundaries gives you an opportunity to communicate your needs at the workplace as well. Easing into the practice of setting healthy boundaries at work is also beneficial for the employee in the following ways:
- It raises productivity by allowing you to be more at ease wherein you can focus on your own tasks without having to cater to numerous workplace distractions
- It has a significant impact on lowering stress levels because you know what you are responsible for and are in a position to manage your workload better
- It leads to a reasonable amount of work to be done at a time without which you are likely to be severely overburdened, especially in a corporate setting which is characterised by an abundance of work and crippling paucity of time.
- By setting boundaries, you will also be creating a positive example for others to follow which will eventually result in a healthy working atmosphere
HOW TO SET BOUNDARIES AT WORK
Before we tell you how to set boundaries at work, you must know that there are three types of workplace boundaries involved- physical, emotional and mental boundaries. For legal professionals, all three of these have their own significance.
- Physical boundaries refer to the physical workplace and your own body- it relates to your convenience and expectations as to how people interact with you. For example, you may prefer to keep your greetings restricted to shaking someone’s hand at the workplace instead of hugging them.
- Emotional boundaries, on the other hand, pertain to your emotional well-being at work as well as that of your colleagues. An example may be talking to your mentor or superior at work to discuss how you prefer to receive feedback or refraining to engage with someone who is in a bad mood.
- Lastly, your mental boundaries are meant to sustain your mental energy and motivation to work and also help you focus on the tasks at hand. For example, gossiping with colleagues at work is frowned upon as a distraction and you may like to refrain from such practices.
Now that you know the nature of boundaries at work, let us focus on ways of setting them to support us in the long-term:
- Acknowledge Your Worth
Acknowledging your own value is the first step to making sure that your employers know it too. Knowing your worth means understanding that you deserve rest, time with loved ones, and a chance to recharge however you need just like anyone else. When you feel like you need to set a boundary at work, it’s important to keep these things in mind. You are not entirely defined by your work, and your worth is made up of a culmination of things, all of which deserve your time and attention. Once you sincerely believe in this idea, over time your workplace will also come to understand and respect that.
- Be Proactive With Your Communication
Try to develop strong communication skills in order to express your thoughts to others and set clear boundaries. This can help you explain what your boundaries are and why you need them. Unless and until you take the initiative to speak for yourself, you will make no tangible progress at the workplace. In fact, communication often can solve issues that cause the need for boundaries, so learning how to communicate with your supervisor and colleagues may help you create a healthier and more transparent work environment.
- Delegate Tasks
To the extent appropriate and wherever required, one must always try delegating tasks. If you find that you are unable to make time for a particular task, it is always okay to ask your supervisor for the assistance of another colleague who might be having a relatively less workload. Delegation is an important strategy in supporting a hectic workload while still maintaining your quality of work and productivity in general.
- Manage Expectations Effectively
A good strategy to implement at the beginning is establishing clear boundaries and manage the expectations of your boss and co-workers from the very start. This will make it will be much easier to advocate for yourself later down the line. On the contrary, it is much harder to go back on your word and set boundaries when you have been working outside of them for a long time. Be clear about the amount of work you are able and willing to take on, and refrain from biting off more than you can chew. That sets the unrealistic expectation that you will always be willing and able to work outside your ability for the duration of your job. Moreover, over-committing and then under-delivering will also create a poor impression of you at work.
- Know How To Say No
Being able to say no at work is an invaluable skill to have in current times. When you say yes to everyone and everything, you are only bringing the inevitable upon yourself- physical, mental and emotional fatigue that affects your overall functioning and well-being as an individual. On the other hand, saying no to avoid an extreme situation every once in a while is always recommended. However, the declining has to be skilful to make sure you are not burning bridges with the person coming to you with the task.
- Be Strict About Your Time Off From Work
Especially in the legal profession, it is fairly easy to fall into the trap of being always connected and always on, but research has shown that the best way to be successful both in your work and your home life is to find time to rest, restore and unplug. Downtime helps the brain integrate what it’s learned or accomplished, and it inspires creativity while dealing legal cases because of the high stakes involved. It is also vital to nurturing close relationships and building strong bonds with people outside of work. It is crucial to schedule time off from work and furthermore ensure that nothing infringes on it. Work emergencies do happen, yes, but it is up to you to make sure that such emergencies are the exception and not the norm. A hard stop from work gives your brain and body time to come back down from stressful events and situations, and you become better equipped to deal with life outside of the office.
- Learn How To Handle A Confrontation
While most professionals respect boundaries, there may be someone at work who disagrees with a boundary you have set for yourselves. For example, a colleague may insist on calling you post-office hours to discuss work despite your repeated disapprovals. Because of this, it’s helpful to prepare for confrontations by understanding what you can compromise and practicing patience. If someone tests your boundary, try to calmly explain your limits and what you would prefer the professional to do instead. While many confrontations do not progress to this point, consider informing your supervisor and human resources contact of the situation. This allows them to document the situation and manage any future issues if the professional continues to test your boundaries.
- Know The Signs Of Burnout
Suffering from burnout is a real possibility at any workplace, irrespective of the measures you take. Moreover, for many, burnout does not happen overnight but is a gradual process over time. In case this happens, it is important that you learn to recognise the signs right away and take the time you need to take care of yourself before coming back to work. Some early physical signs of burnout include- feeling tired and drained most of the time, lowered immunity, frequent illnesses, frequent headaches or muscle pain, change in appetite or sleep habits. Apart from this, burnout also manifests emotionally and mentally through a tendency to self-isolate, loss of motivation, tendency to withdraw from responsibilities, becoming cynical, feeling helpless and detached, anger issues, tendency to procrastinate, etc.
If this happens, make sure the first thing you do is consult a mental health professional without any delay whatsoever. Burnouts are easy to recover from, but they also need to be taken seriously.
From the above paragraphs, it becomes clear that setting healthy boundaries at work is immensely important for you as a professional and can determine your physical, mental and emotional well-being in the long-term. It is therefore important prioritise these boundaries and find ways to implement them effectively while maintaining a positive image at the workplace.
YLCC would like to thank the Content Team for their valuable insights in this article.
