4 Guidelines You Need to Set Work Boundaries & Reclaim You-Time
Being a Ninja means you’re in work mode a lot. Your tireless work ethic is the essence of your all-star status, but making the switch…
Tag: time management
Being a Ninja means you’re in work mode a lot. Your tireless work ethic is the essence of your all-star status, but making the switch…
While I have a laptop and the capability to VPN into our network, I have resisted attaching work emails to my phone. My team knows that if something is urgent they can (and do) text me.If untethering your work email from your phone is unimaginable, try putting the phone down instead. Designate times when it’s most important for you to be fully present. Then, literally leave your phone out of reach, like Executive Assistant Corinne A. does:
Yes, I'm on 24/7. But I do not bring my phone to the gym, when I'm out running or at a yoga studio. I leave the office at 4pm to beat traffic but I’m back online when I'm home.
I ‘work’ all the time, which makes me feel better about not working some of the time, if that makes any sense. Unless it's time that’s pre-planned and off the grid (it’s rare), I check my email often. I find it’s easier to respond to emails that are quick to respond to right away, instead of allowing them to pile up.A big part of work-life harmony is accepting a schedule that's not always the same—it changes with your needs. And let’s face it, there are days when you need to put in a little extra time at the office or bring emails home for after dinner. However, shifting the focus away from time and onto accomplishments is a better measure of success. Deborah Z., another Office Manager, realizes that viewing the two as flexible components helps her keep a level head:
I'm in the process of a six day work week (self-imposed). There's a major project due by the end of this month. I can get peace and quiet to work strictly on Saturdays—no one else is in the office. I do have to come into the office since the software I need to produce the help guide I'm working on only works on my office machine. But I’m looking forward to when this is done so I can go back to just checking my email from time to time on the weekends!
I am on call 24/7 because my bosses travel so much. When they are in town though, no bothering me after 7pm unless the world is on fire. And definitely no bothering me on vacation.Cindy B. echoes that by explaining how work boundaries have helped shape her schedule.
I have pretty firm boundaries in place (generally available 7am—7pm) but my guys also know I am reachable in a pinch. I have an immense amount of flexibility in my schedule, so I self-manage to make up for any missed work time, in evenings and on weekends.
I usually check emails at home over coffee in the morning—I think of it as triage—avoiding panic when I hit the door. I often check email on my bus commute. I respond to texts over the weekend/evenings because if folks are texting me, it's urgent.