How to Set Workplace Boundaries and Disconnect

The Silent Productivity Killer No One Wants to Talk About As we mark Stress Awareness Month, I'm calling out the elephant in the professional room: the toxic dance between #stress and #anxiety that's destroying our potential. Here are three radical ways to reclaim your mental space: ✅ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. Constant availability isn't hustle. It's self-destruction. When you protect your time and energy, you're not being difficult - you're managing your anxiety and preserving your mental health. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Create dedicated focus blocks in your calendar where meetings are off-limits. This is your time for deep, meaningful work that actually moves the needle and provides relief from mounting professional anxieties. ✅ 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵. Your value isn't measured by how quickly you respond or how many meetings you attend. Anxiety thrives in constant comparison and perpetual performance mode. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Carve out regular reflection time to review your genuine progress. Disconnect from the noise, challenge your anxious thoughts, and reconnect with your actual goals and achievements. ✅ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿. High performance isn't about endurance. It's about sustainable energy and protecting your most valuable resource - your mental clarity and emotional well-being. 👉 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Establish clear boundaries between work and personal time. Create a shutdown ritual that signals the end of your workday, helps quiet anxious thoughts, and allows you to disconnect and recharge truly. -- Burnout does NOT make you stronger. Anxiety does NOT define your worth. They drain your potential. Productivity isn't about doing more. It's about doing what matters while protecting your mental health. Coaching can help; let's chat. | Follow Joshua Miller #StressAwarenessMonth #MentalHealth #ProfessionalGrowth

Work will take all the time you give to it. This thought came up today in the classroom I was teaching, and it made me reflect on the times I’ve let work steal time from other things that truly matter. I once told my husband, 'I just need 20 minutes to respond to a few work emails, and then we can watch the movie.' Famous last words. Two and a half hours later, I walked into the living room… only to find him asleep on the couch, with a note next to him that read, 'You meant 200 minutes?' That was a pretty clear sign that work had taken more than its fair share of time that night. Since then, I’ve learned a few tricks to keep work from creeping into every corner of my day. Here are three tips that have helped me (and saved my evenings!): (1) Set clear boundaries: It’s easy to get sucked into work and lose track of time. Now, I set specific work hours and stick to them. They vary by day, depending on what is on the agenda. The laptop gets closed at a set time, and the phone stays close to it, out of sight. If something urgent comes up… well, it can wait until tomorrow. (2) Prioritize what's really important: I used to think every email and task was top priority, and I’d reply within hours. Now, I focus on the three most important things each day. If it’s not on that list, it doesn’t get my immediate attention. (3) Practice saying no: I used to say yes to most things—meetings, projects, you name it—thinking I could squeeze it all in. But it turned out I was squeezing out time for other parts of my life I cared about. Learning to say no (politely) has freed up my time for things I enjoy, like movie nights. It’s easy to let work take over, especially when we love what we do. But with some boundaries, we can reclaim our time… and make space for the people and moments that matter most. #timeManagement #time #work #life #relationships #planningFallacy #leadership #boundaries

It feels good to be seen as the go-to person. But then the “yes” starts to haunt you when you realize you’ve got no idea where this extra work fits. Cue the late nights, the stress, and the resentment creeping in. We’ve all been there — wanting to be helpful, likable, or just a team player, even if it costs us. And while it’s totally understandable, it doesn’t make it any less overwhelming when you’re staring at a to-do list that feels impossible. Here’s the shift: Saying ”no“ isn’t about letting people down. It’s about setting boundaries that protect your energy, your time, and your ability to deliver your best work. And when you do take something on? It’s got to be with intention, not obligation. Here’s how to get there: 1️⃣ Pause Before You Say Yes: Instead of committing on the spot, practice saying, “Let me check my workload and get back to you.” This gives you breathing room to decide intentionally. 2️⃣ Get Real About Your Capacity: Take a hard look at your current commitments. What’s urgent, and what’s important? Where does this new request fit? 3️⃣ Set Boundaries Clearly: If it doesn’t fit, be honest: “I’d love to help, but I’m at capacity right now. Here’s an alternative suggestion…” If it does fit, define what you can realistically deliver and by when. When you stop defaulting to “yes,” you create more space for what truly matters. When you honor your limits, you show up better for yourself, your work, and yes, even your colleagues. The result? Less stress, fewer late nights, and more respect from colleagues who see you as someone with clear priorities and boundaries. Have you ever felt stuck in a “yes” you didn’t have room for? What’s one boundary you’re working on setting? Let’s talk about it in the comments.

WednesdayQ&A “I often give others a lot more than I give to myself. I always try to help, and requests never finish. Everyone asks me for something, and I try to help, but I feel exhausted and overwhelmed because I don't have enough time for my own stuff. How can I stop accommodating the requests without hurting relationships?” It sounds like you haven’t established clear boundaries, and it’s something many people struggle with. Setting boundaries is essential to protecting your time and energy, both in your personal and professional life. Start by asking yourself: Where do I want my boundaries to be? Why do I find it hard to say no? Is it because I fear disappointing others or because I feel validated by being needed? Understanding your patterns is the first step. Next, communicate your boundaries—because people won’t know them unless you share them. A great way to start a conversation without confrontation is using a method I’ve learned from Rob Dial. Ask permission: “Can I talk to you about something?”Most likely, people will respond positively. Then, calmly say, “I’m going to be honest.” This creates a respectful space to share your needs, like: “I’ve realized I’ve been overextending myself and need to focus more on my priorities. I’ll still help when I can, but I might not always be available immediately. I hope you understand.” Boundaries are not one-time declarations—you may need to remind people from time to time gently. That’s okay! Teaching others how to treat you takes consistency. To live a fulfilling life, you need to protect your energy and make time for what truly matters to you. Remember, saying no to someone else is often saying yes to yourself. #boundaries #sayingno #loveyourlife

The most common question I get about  boundaries in the workplace: “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀?”  Before you can create boundaries,  ↳you need to know what they are.  𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯. A boundary is a clear line  ↳that defines what’s okay and what isn’t.  It helps protect the following: 📌time 📌energy 📌well-being.  Without boundaries, it’s easy to feel  overworked, overwhelmed, and undervalued.  𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿?  They allow you to be:   ⇢ Productive   ⇢ Focused   ⇢ Respected   ⇢ Emotionally balanced   ⇢ Energized   ⇢ Healthy  𝘚𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴?  1️⃣ Identify your limits  - Know what drains your energy and what restores it.  2️⃣ Communicate your boundaries clearly  - Example: “I’m unavailable for calls after 6 PM.”  3️⃣ Set realistic expectations with others   - Let colleagues know when and how you can be reached.  4️⃣ Practice saying ‘no’ with kindness   - Saying no to one thing is saying yes to yourself.  5️⃣ Hold yourself accountable - Stick to your boundaries, even when it’s uncomfortable.     (And respect others' boundaries!) 6️⃣ Give self space to grow - Boundaries evolve—check in and make changes as necessary.  𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸?  Boundaries require us to reflect deeply on what we need to protect.  👀 Notice where you feel resentful or drained.   ❓ Ask yourself what you need to change.   🫶 Honor your needs without guilt.   😫 Embrace the discomfort of setting limits.   💗 Celebrate when you follow through on boundaries.   💪 Take responsibility for communicating them effectively.  Boundaries aren't barriers—𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀  to better relationships and well-being.  The more you respect your own boundaries, the more others will, too.  What’s one boundary you could set today that your future self will thank you for? ----- I’m Julia LeFevre. I help leaders turn divided teams into dream teams using NeuroChange. Click my name + follow  ♻️ Repost this → spread value 🙌✨