5 Steps to Creating Healthy Boundaries at Work

1. Set priorities

The boundaries you set should allow you to focus on your priorities at work. To determine what your priorities should be, first consider the main focus of your position. If you’re not sure, talk to your supervisor about what they see as your primary contribution to the team. Another consideration is aligning your priorities with the goals of your organization and team. However, these goals can sometimes shift, so it’s important to remember that your priorities may shift as well, especially during busy times of year.

It may also be beneficial to prioritize personal routines like a morning meditation or a mid-day walk as a way to help you stay focused throughout the day at work.

2. Design soft and hard boundaries

Not all boundaries need to be strict. Consider setting some hard, non-negotiable boundaries that you won’t compromise on and some soft, nice-to-have boundaries. For example, you might set a hard boundary of not taking on new work when your bandwidth is already maxed out and a soft boundary of closing your computer each day at 5 p.m. While the former ensures you don’t overburden yourself and become perpetually stressed, the latter allows you some flexibility if you’re feeling in the zone working on a project at the end of the day or want to catch up after a long lunch break.

Be sure to communicate the boundaries you’re setting with your manager. It will be easier to stick to, for example, a hard boundary of not looking at your email on vacation if you know your team doesn’t expect you to respond. When discussing a new professional boundary with your manager, frame it as a way of ensuring you remain energized and engaged at work in the long term. Many managers will appreciate your transparency and your long-sighted vision of yourself at the company.

3. Learn to delegate

No one can do it all. Effective delegation to coworkers you manage or work closely with allows you to free up time to focus on your work priorities and higher-level tasks that require more of your attention and expertise. Delegating can be uncomfortable for some people at first, but remember that sharing responsibility for these tasks allows other team members to learn, grow and develop new skills. Schedule check-ins to make sure projects are on track and to offer your feedback and expertise, but trust your coworkers’ competency.

If you don’t have colleagues you can delegate overflow work to, talk to you manager. Which tasks and projects should you prioritize? Are there any projects they can extend deadlines for or reassign to team members who may have extra bandwidth?

You might also consider where you can delegate in your personal life to free up more time and energy in your workday. There are even resources designed to help lighten your mental load. Wellthy helps caregivers who may be supporting someone with health problems at home, including aging family members, navigate and manage care. This could include sourcing providers and aids, scheduling appointments, coordinating childcare and much more, depending on your needs.

4. Continuously communicate and redesign boundaries

Once you’ve set and communicated your boundaries with your manager, make sure to track their effectiveness. Do you feel it’s enhancing your work-life balance and productivity as expected? Are others respecting the boundaries? Once you’ve tried the boundaries for several weeks, have an open conversation with your manager if there’s anything not working and make adjustments as needed. Your boundaries will likely evolve as your life and priorities evolve.

If you’re still struggling with a challenging workload after implementing boundaries, ask your manager for advice. Be open but always respectful when discussing your challenges and concerns. Most managers want to support your well-being, but they can’t help you if they don’t know what you’re facing.

5. Prioritize physical and mental health

Boundaries to help you protect your physical and mental health are essential. If your physical or mental health is flagging, you likely won’t be as effective or happy carrying out your other priorities at work and home. Ensuring you get enough sleep most nights is a great place to start. From there, try to eat nutritious meals and make time for physical exercise.

Investigate the health benefits your employer offers. Your benefits might include virtual or in-person therapy, fitness reimbursements or well-being classes—Harvard Pilgrim’s Living Well program, free to members and non-members alike, offers yoga and mindfulness classes and wellness webinars. Flexible work options that can help improve your work-life balance might also be available, such as working outside of regular nine to five hours or working remotely or on a hybrid schedule.

Your employer benefits often also include a certain amount of paid time off (PTO). Taking all of your available PTO—and setting the boundary that you won’t be checking in while you’re away—can help improve your well-being and prevent burnout. You don’t need to plan or spend luxuriously to do this. Recent research found that regularly taking PTO to do something you enjoy may be even better for your mental health than longer vacation stretches. Take a rainy day off to read on the porch, a sunny day off to go to the beach with friends or any kind of day to do whatever brings you joy.