When was the last time you said no to something you really didn’t want to do, even if doing so would let someone down?

Learning to set boundaries for yourself is no easy task. But for Caroline Mastoras, guest speaker on the third episode of our podcast Off Record, On Point “The Secret to Smashing the Glass Ceiling”, it was a turning point in finding a balance between her many responsibilities. As well as her position as Client Director at CRM software giant, Salesforce, Caroline is 2022’s President of Bloom UK, a professional network for women in communications, as well as a volunteer for DICE, and a mother of two.

Caroline is an understated champion of diversity, inclusion and empowerment, wearing as many hats as possible to action real change. We spoke with Caroline in-depth on the state of workplace equality and facing the glass ceiling, and how she handles juggling so many important roles. But as she makes very clear when speaking to hosts Julia and Kasey on Off Record, On Point, no one can do it all. Nor should anyone feel like they need to – setting boundaries in your personal and professional life is the key not only to success, but to health and happiness too.

Most of us are guilty of saying yes too much at work. Saying no often feels confrontational or lazy, and we’re all encouraged to pull our weight in a team by doing everything we possibly can. It feels good to help others out, especially with tasks we can do without much trouble, and when you add into the mix having KPIs to hit, people relying on you, and chasing promotions by trying to impress your boss, you’ve got a recipe for burnout. When you’re doing too much, you’re not giving anything your all and you’re definitely not producing your best work. Worst case scenario, it all falls apart at the seams when it becomes too much. Best case, you struggle through as the stress builds, until you start questioning how much you really like what you do.

Think of it this way: if you visit the gym to exercise, you might add a bit of extra weight to push your body to its limit, but you wouldn’t want to break a bone by piling on more than you could possibly lift. It’d be counter intuitive, and the repercussions would set you back considerably.

But many of us don’t treat our minds with the same respect. Whether at work or in our personal lives, we push too hard. But by taking a little time to set some boundaries, we can create a harmonious, productive environment for ourselves and others, and bring far more happiness to our lives in the long-term.

There are four types of boundaries you can set at work to protect your work-life balance: time, emotional, mental, and physical. Here are some great ways to set boundaries that can help you balance work and life!

Mental Boundaries

Don’t waste valuable energy or focus – try these!

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  Be honest about whether you have the time or energy to devote to taking on another task
• Decline meetings where you won’t add value to the conversation and ask to be updated on key and actionable points you should be aware of
• Take your given vacation days and be sure to disconnect and enjoy time off
• Communicate your comfort levels clearly, as soon as possible

Physical Boundaries

Body, health and personal space are all the focus of physical boundaries, and setting them protects everyone from misunderstandings and harassment.

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  Communicate how you feel about people approaching and interacting with your workspace
• Offer handshakes, not hugs
• Turn off your camera during virtual meetings when you need to
• Let people know if you need more personal space, in general or for the time being

Time Boundaries

Define how your time is used, and when you’re available to keep stress down.

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  Set your work hours and stick to them. No checking emails or taking calls when you’re finished for the day!
• Make time to focus on a task and turn off your notifications during that time – let your colleagues know not to interrupt you unless it’s urgent
• Step away during your lunch break and take a breather
• Designate time to be completely offline and unavailable

Emotional Boundaries

Protect your emotions whilst staying uninvolved in other people’s to set emotional boundaries. 

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  Discuss how you prefer to receive feedback with your boss
• Build personal methods to prevent work setbacks or other people’s attitudes from putting you in a bad mood
• Deliver negative feedback with compassion and understanding
• Let your team know ways you prefer to work and communicate, and clearly express when you are uncomfortable discussing a topic at work 

Of course, the above list is only made up of suggestions! By putting your values first, you can determine what boundaries will help you protect your own happiness. Take note of moments of stress and frustration – why do you feel this way and what changes could have prevented it?

Once you know what your boundaries are, being active in setting them will bring far better results than allowing issues to develop and bringing them up after the fact. Take it one conversation at a time and allow others time to adjust and make changes. The biggest key to boundaries bringing you joy is to have open and honest communication!

And remember, boundaries change with time and experience. But with a little effort and mindfulness, we can all embrace them and build a better way of working that means we enjoy every day we sit down at our desks. Considering how much of our lives is spent working, don’t you want to spend that time happy? 

Feeling enlightened? You can hear our whole conversation with Caroline on Off Record, On Point Episode 3: “The Secret to Smashing the Glass Ceiling”!