How to set work life boundaries for better mental health
Life means work, and life means vacation. When there is no harmony between these two things, everything becomes chaotic. And our mental peace is disturbed. Nowadays, work pressure has increased so much that the boundary between our personal life and professional life is gradually decreasing. Office work is entering our bedrooms, dining tables, and even on holidays. As a result, on the one hand, the attraction to work is decreasing, and on the other hand, mental stress, anxiety, and fatigue are increasing.
But we are looking for a way to get rid of it. With just a little awareness and following some simple techniques, we can take care of our mental health. Today’s discussion is about how to maintain a good balance between our work and personal life, and why it is essential to maintain this balance.
What are Work-Life Boundaries, and why are they important?
Work-Life Boundaries are something that defines our professional and personal lives. This means keeping work, work time, and the workplace separate from our individual lives. If we can do this, it won’t harm the other. When your job is over, you don’t think about work anymore. And if you can do this, you can stay physically and mentally healthy.
Work-Life Boundaries can include:
Setting specific hours, not doing any office work outside of them.
Declaring a no-work zone in your family and personal life.
Learning to avoid taking on extra office work and saying no.
Why is it important?
Setting Work-Life Boundaries is not only for comfort, but also for our mental and physical health. Its importance can be highlighted in a few key points:
Reducing Stress and Burnout: When work stress enters our personal lives, mental stress continues to increase. This leads to burnout or extreme fatigue, which in turn destroys a person’s performance, creativity, and overall mental peace. Having clear boundaries reduces this stress to a great extent.
Improved Mental Health: Having a clear boundary between work and personal life reduces mental problems such as anxiety, depression, and frustration to a great extent. It helps you make time for yourself, family, and friends, which brings back mental freshness and joy.
Increase productivity: As surprising as it may sound, overwork does not make you more productive. On the contrary, the lack of adequate rest and peace of mind leads to poor work quality. When you can free yourself from work stress and stay fresh, both your focus and efficiency at work increase.
Improve personal relationships: When office work overwhelms you, even your time with family can suffer. Establishing work-life boundaries allows you to be fully present with your loved ones, which strengthens relationships.
Maintain good physical health: Mental stress is closely linked to physical health. Excessive work stress can lead to problems like heart disease, insomnia, and high blood pressure. Having time for yourself outside of work creates opportunities for exercise, proper sleep, and a healthy lifestyle, which improves overall health.
Create a clear distinction between work and personal life
Set a specific work schedule
Do not work after a specific time; work from 9 am to 5 pm. No other work can be done after this. This will keep you within a limit. And divide your office work into small pieces. This will make your whole day easier. Divide your workday into small parts. This will increase the quality and efficiency of your work.
Set digital boundaries
Turn off official notifications: Turn off notifications from office emails, messages, and other apps on your phone or computer when office work hours are over.
Put the phone away after a specific time: Put the office phone or laptop away before going to bed and on holidays.
Create a “no-work zone”
Designated space for work: Designate a specific place for your work at home. For example, a small desk or a separate room. This will help your brain learn to separate work time and personal life time.
Please avoid using your bedroom as a workspace; use it only for rest.
Learn to say “no”
Avoid taking on extra responsibilities: If your workload is already too high, do not take on any new extra duties. This will only increase the stress on you.
Say “no” clearly and respectfully: When you are given a task that is beyond your assigned limits, say “no” clearly and respectfully.
Manage your work properly
1. Use the Pomodoro Technique
The Pomodoro Technique is a method of dividing your time into small chunks.
25-minute blocks: Set a timer and work for 25 minutes continuously. Do not focus on any other task during this time.
5-minute breaks: Take a short break for 5 minutes after 25 minutes. During this break, you can take a short walk or do something that refreshes your mind.
Long breaks: Take a long break of 15-30 minutes after completing four Pomodoro sessions (25 minutes of work + 5 minutes of break).
This method helps you maintain your focus and reduces fatigue from continuous work.
2. Finish essential tasks first
Not all tasks are equally important. So identify the most critical and urgent tasks and try to finish them first.
Create a to-do list: Make a list of all your tasks at the beginning of the day.
Sort tasks by importance: Identify which functions from the list are the most important and which can be done later. You can use the Eisenhower Matrix, which divides tasks into four categories:
Urgent and important
Not urgent but important
Urgent but not important
Neither urgent nor important
Completing essential tasks first can significantly reduce your stress levels.
3. Break down tasks into smaller chunks
We often get frustrated when we see significant and complex tasks. To overcome this frustration, break down the task into smaller and more manageable chunks.
Break down tasks: Divide a large project into smaller, manageable steps.
Complete one step at a time: Set a specific deadline for each step and keep completing one step at a time.
This strategy will make your work seem more manageable, and you will feel a sense of satisfaction after completing each small step, which will encourage you to move forward.
4. Avoid multitasking
Trying to do multiple tasks at the same time will distract you and reduce the quality of your work. So focus entirely on one task at a time. This will help you complete the task quickly and accurately. Finish one task before moving on to the next.
Learn to say “no” to set boundaries
Many times, we take on extra work to please others or out of fear of bad relationships. But this hurts our mental and physical health.
Why is it hard to say “no”?
Desire to be liked by everyone: We want everyone to like us and trust us. So it becomes difficult for us to refuse an offer or responsibility.
Fear: We think that if we say “no”, we may lose the opportunity, or our manager or colleagues will be unhappy.
Lack of confidence: We are uncertain about our own limits, which leads us to take on extra responsibility.
How to say “no” effectively?
Start with a compliment: Express your gratitude for their offer without saying “no” outright. For example, “Thank you for considering me for this important job.”
Be clear and concise: State the reason for your refusal briefly and clearly. There is no need to give a long excuse. For example, “Sorry, I can’t take this job right now, because I have another important project on my hands.”
Offer alternatives: If possible, offer an alternative or solution. This will show your professionalism and cooperation. For example, “I can’t take this job, but I’ll have time next week. Or you can give this job to someone else if you want.”
State your deadlines: Let your manager or colleagues know about your current workload. For example, “I’m currently overloaded with work, so I can’t take on any new responsibilities right now.”
Be confident: Be firm about your decision. This will send a clear message to others about your personality and boundaries.
Give yourself time to refresh
Take regular breaks
Small breaks: Take a break for 5-10 minutes every 1-2 hours instead of working continuously. During this time, consider getting up to take a walk, closing your eyes and resting, or simply drinking a glass of water.
Lunch break: Allow sufficient time for lunch between work. Do not use this break for office work and focus only on food. If necessary, you can chat with colleagues, which reduces mental stress.
Make time for hobbies and interests
Give importance to personal hobbies: Set aside time each day for your favorite hobbies, such as reading books, listening to music, painting, gardening, or cooking. Engaging in your favorite work will not only keep your mind occupied but also replenish your energy.
Learn something new: Consider trying to learn a new skill or language outside of work. This will keep your mind fresh and boost your confidence.
Take a vacation and enjoy it
Enjoy your vacation: Take an extended vacation at least once a year. During this holiday, completely distance yourself from office work, emails, or calls.
Go for a walk: You can go for a walk somewhere close to nature. This will rejuvenate both your mind and body.
Exercise and practice good sleep habits
Regular exercise: Do at least 30 minutes of walking, yoga, or any other light exercise every day. This reduces stress hormones and creates a feeling of well-being.
Adequate sleep: Try to sleep for 7-8 hours every day. Good sleep helps recharge your brain and relieve fatigue. Stay away from all types of digital devices for an hour before bed.
Establish technological boundaries
Turn off notifications
Outside work hours: Turn off notifications from office emails, messaging apps, and other work when your working hours are over or on holidays.
Silence your phone: Put your phone on silent mode to avoid unnecessary distractions. This will allow you to enjoy your personal time outside of work entirely.
Use specific devices for work
Separate devices: Use a separate phone or laptop for personal work. This will allow you to turn off your work device when you are done working.
Keep work apps separate: Keep your work apps in a separate folder on your personal phone. This will reduce the chances of accidentally accessing work apps.
Practice digital detox
Specific time: Avoid all digital devices for 1-2 hours before bedtime every night. This will calm your brain and improve the quality of your sleep.
Weekend detox: Take a break from the internet, social media, and office work for at least one day or a few hours each week. You can spend this time chatting with family or friends or pursuing a hobby.
Create communication rules
Clear rules: Talk openly with your colleagues and manager about your communication rules. For example, let them know that you will not respond to emails or messages on holidays or outside of office hours.
Emergencies: Set a separate communication channel or rule for emergencies, so that you are only contacted in critical situations.
A few words from CoreWellfit
Our lives are not just for work, but also for enjoying ourselves. Creating Work-Life Boundaries is not a luxury but a necessity for staying healthy and peaceful. It reduces our stress, strengthens personal relationships, and increases our focus and productivity at work.
Remember, taking care of yourself and making time for yourself is not a weakness, but rather a part of your success because only a healthy and happy person can give their best in their work and life.
