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Boundaries at Work: 4 Types of Work Boundaries

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Aug 10, 2022 • 4 min read

Setting boundaries in the workplace is an integral part of taking care of your physical and emotional well-being and establishing a healthy work-life balance. Learn how to set and protect boundaries.

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What Are Boundaries?

Boundaries are the rules and guidelines workers implement for themselves and human resources establish for a company to set clear lines between one’s professional and personal life. Human resources departments often develop protocols to protect employees from workplace harassment. Other work boundaries might include an employee’s limit to respond to emails during set work hours. Healthy work boundaries maintain a worker’s safety and physical, emotional, and mental health.

According to psychotherapist Esther Perel, the most important definition of boundaries is “about connection and separateness. It’s about letting people in and opening up or about limiting and creating separateness and knowing where you stop and where the other starts so that not everything becomes a part of you.”

4 Types of Boundaries to Set at Work

There are several work boundaries employees can set to prioritize safety and self-care:

  1. 1. Emotional boundaries: These boundaries are often made by communicating preferences and leading from a place of compassion and kindness. Emotional boundaries may include sharing how you prefer to receive feedback, being sensitive to other people’s feelings, and respecting other people’s needs for personal space and time away (and requesting that for yourself, when needed).
  2. 2. Time boundaries: Time boundaries specify when workers are on the clock and when they should log off and step away from work email.
  3. 3. Physical boundaries: Boundaries can dictate how employees physically engage with one another and establish a safe work environment devoid of harassment. You can also set physical boundaries to protect your personal space and workstation.
  4. 4. Mental boundaries: Family time, relaxation, and paid time off ensure workers enjoy vacation time and do not feel constantly tied to their work. Mental limitations also come into play when employees need a personal day or need to set limits on how much they can devote to their work during challenging times.

How to Set Boundaries at Work

How to Set Boundaries at Work
Clear boundaries allow employees to do their best work. Set healthy boundaries in your office or workplace by following these steps:

  1. 1. Review your job description. Boundary setting begins by ensuring your work responsibilities are not more than those in your job outline. “Are the roles clearly defined? That is a boundary, too,” Esther says. “Are the responsibilities taken by those who should be taking those reponsibilities or arey distributed sometimes unfairly? That’s a boundary issue.” If you feel you are doing additional work outside this description and are not being compensated for it, start a conversation with your supervisor.
  2. 2. Check in with yourself. Take a pulse check to see if others infringe on your workstation, if your boss expects you to work hours outside your designated schedule, or if coworkers make you feel uncomfortable. These can indicate the need for more personal boundaries, which you should discuss with managers or human resources.
  3. 3. Communicate before bad habits set in. Your mental, physical, and emotional well-being are vital. If other team members are negatively affecting your workplace or personal wellness, communicate with someone you trust who can help create a healthier office culture. Document issues and share them as they happen to protect and maintain boundaries.
  4. 4. Maintain healthy work relationships. Opt for handshakes over hugs and speak kindly to others about professional but not personal matters. These actions can aid in establishing a safe working environment. It’s also important to decide how much of your personal life you want to share. “One of the very important questions around boundaries is what belongs in the workplace?" Esther says. "Do you bring your problems to the workplace? Do you have to talk about certain situations to the workplace? How much of your personal life comes to work?”
  5. 5. Take time off. Time away from communication platforms, emails, and phone calls is essential. When using vacation time, log off so you are not disturbed by work notifications and can relax and recharge.
  6. 6. Learn to say no. Workers may feel pressure to take on every task offered up to impress superiors and get ahead, but saying no is vital to maintaining a work-life balance, prioritizing self-care, and avoiding burnout.

Just as you hope people accept your boundaries, you have to learn to respect others’ boundaries. “We think that our relative perception is not relative; we think that’s how it should be,” Esther says. “We perceive the rigidity of another person’s boundaries on the basis of the fact that ours are looser. These are relative positions.”

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