Border control for your career

Do you ever feel like you’ve got so much on, and there are still people asking you for more things, whether it be bits of work or meetings or problems to solve?

It’s not something you have to put up with. You can choose to do something about it.

Setting Your Boundaries

When I talk about setting your boundaries, I’m talking in terms both of your time and the things that you do. It’s very easy to get into a situation where you feel like you just haven’t got time to do everything. 

 So, take a few minutes to step back and take a new look.

• What are you doing that you don’t have to do?
• What are you doing that someone else could (or perhaps should) be doing?
• Are you taking work home at night, or answering emails at all hours?
• Are you working way more hours that you’re contracted for?
• Do you have so much work that you can’t possibly do it in the hours available?

 If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, isn’t it time to STOP doing that to yourself? 

Actions

Take a few moments to choose some actions to change this situation. Here are some suggestions, but feel free to come up with your own:

• Work out what the things are that you actually need to do (and hopefully enjoy doing). For everything else either stop doing it (if it’s not actually important) or find someone else who can do it.
• Set some boundaries about work. When are you prepared to work until? When are you prepared to answer work emails? If you need to, talk to your boss or colleagues and be clear about what extra stuff you’re prepared to do and what you are not. Perhaps it will open a conversation about the need for further resources.
• Schedule some thinking and planning time each week so that you know what is achievable. Then you can have conversations with managers, customers, or whoever you need to, to manage priorities and expectations.

Further Resources

One of my favourite books on time management is a neat little volume called Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy.

If you’ve come up with some top tips that will help others, or if you want to ask what others do, click here to get involved in my Career Journeys facebook group.