One of the most vivid memories I have of a vacation to Key West 10 years ago is kayaking through the beautiful mangroves—and instead of enjoying the scenery, only paying attention to the work emails blowing up my phone. At the time, I was employed by a company that expected prompt responses even during time off, and I always delivered. But it took a toll.
I didn’t realize it then, but I could have benefited from setting boundaries around work. Psychologists say doing so can help protect workers’ mental health—an urgent matter, if you consider how many people are burned out or plain old fed up with their jobs. In one recent survey, workers described feeling emotionally exhausted, ineffective, and unmotivated, and admitted to being irritable with their coworkers or customers.
One solution could be boundaries. One social worker I talked to defined them as “limits or personal rules that protect your time and energy and allow you to perform at your best.” Setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable—how can you not be available 24/7 to the people signing your paychecks? That’s why experts say it’s key to remove emotion from the equation—and to remember that, with practice, standing up for yourself will get easier.
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