Setting healthier boundaries at work
Boundaries are less about saying no and more about being clear. A gentler, more sustainable way to protect your time.
By Leila Haddad, Counsellor
People often imagine boundaries as confrontation. In practice, the most effective boundaries are quiet and consistent: a predictable end to the working day, replies that arrive tomorrow morning rather than tonight, meetings that begin and end on time.
The difficulty is rarely knowing what you need. It is tolerating the discomfort of other people adjusting to it. That discomfort peaks early and fades quickly — usually within a couple of weeks of consistency.
Try replacing refusal with sequencing. Instead of 'I can't do this', try 'I can do this by Thursday, or I can move X'. You stay collaborative while making the real cost of the request visible.
If boundaries collapse repeatedly despite your best intentions, that is useful information. It often points to something deeper — a fear of disappointing people, or a workplace where the workload genuinely exceeds the hours. Both are worth exploring with a therapist.
