Setting Boundaries

For me, this time of year is packed full of family gatherings, baking and decorating my house, all while I continue getting my work done. During the holiday season, it always seems like there’s not enough time for your personal life and work. You can feel stretched thin in all areas and feel like you are not doing a good job at any of them. 

Boundaries are so important when life feels extra full, that is when I know that it is time to sit down and evaluate what my top priorities are. Your priorities can change from month to month and day to day even. One of my priorities during the holiday season is rest – it is crucial to avoid burnout and continue performing quality work. Here are some of the boundaries that I put into place during this time and also how to follow through with them. 

1.     Take your vacation. When my kids were small, I used the time between Christmas and New Year’s to ‘pretend’ I was a stay-at-home mom.  I would bake and cook, read a non-work book, sleep in, and spend time with family during the holidays. After a week, I was ready to jump back into whatever the new year had in store for me. I know many of you have vacation days saved up, and I truly encourage you to take them! Take a stay-cation, log off and enjoy the holidays.

2.     Create an out of office plan. Be purposeful about what needs to be completed and who’s accountable for getting it done while you are out of the office. This will allow you to think through the necessary actions that need to happen while you are away and truly relax while you’re out of the office.

• What tasks still need to be accomplished while you are out of the office?

• Who can you delegate your tasks to?

• What information do you need to share in order for someone else to accomplish these tasks?

• What are the next steps when you get back from being out of the office?

3.     Communicate your boundaries and intentions. Once you’ve created your plan, be sure to clearly communicate the plan including your boundaries and intentions. Inform those around you about your availability while you’re out of the office. Check in with those that have delegated tasks, be sure they have committed to completing the tasks. Update your out-of-office email that sets the intention of when you will be responding. And, by the way, don’t include the ‘If this an emergency, please call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx’. If there is ‘an emergency’, include an email of someone that will be available. And finally, hold yourself accountable to your set boundaries.

While these steps to setting boundaries around the holidays and vacation plans can seem simple, it is the follow-through that allows you to relax and enjoy your time out of the office. 

Enjoy this holiday season! Stay healthy and happy by creating boundaries that make sense for you and your priorities.