{"id":26592,"date":"2023-03-07T11:20:46","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T11:20:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/?post_type=resources&p=26592"},"modified":"2024-09-04T11:02:43","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T09:02:43","slug":"4-steps-to-communicate-a-work-life-boundary-effectively","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/en\/resources\/4-steps-to-communicate-a-work-life-boundary-effectively\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Steps to Communicate a Work\/Life Boundary Effectively"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning<\/a><\/em><\/em>, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage \u2014 pleasantly, smilingly, unapologetically \u2014 to say no to other things.\u201d<\/em> \u2014Stephen R. Covey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s standing between you and another evening answering emails from your couch, skipping a social outing to handle a last-minute request, or excusing yourself from your family vacation to take an important call?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For too many people, the answer is nothing. They let work sprawl into their personal lives because they want to be seen as hardworking and heroic, because their organization (explicitly or implicitly) expects 24\/7 availability, or because they simply aren\u2019t comfortable prioritizing themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if you communicate a boundary well \u2014 and stick to it \u2014 you can actually build respect, trust, and goodwill with your colleagues \u2014 and set a great example for them to follow. They\u2019ll know exactly what to expect of you and may even admire your productivity and devotion to the important things in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To communicate a work\/life boundary message effectively, include:
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Why you are setting or have set the boundary<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • The specific constraints of your availability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • How the work will or could get done<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • If\/when the boundary can be flexible<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Here\u2019s how to formulate each component and put them all together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Why you are setting or have set the boundary<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    When people don\u2019t understand the reason why you are changing your behavior, they\u2019ll be left to make assumptions about why you\u2019re not attending to their needs \u2014 like their request isn\u2019t important or that you\u2019re being lazy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Remember: You are perfectly justified in making a commitment to yourself! Use definitive language to make it clear that the boundary is a real priority for you, not just a preference (e.g., \u201cI unplug when I\u2019m on vacation\u201d rather than \u201cI like to unplug when I\u2019m on vacation\u201d). Don\u2019t apologize or put the blame on someone else (e.g., \u201cMy spouse will give me a hard time if I don\u2019t\u2026\u201d). And be careful not to overshare with a long explanation or unnecessary personal details, which can sound unprofessional or can muddy your message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Examples:
    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Midday obligation<\/strong>: \u201cMy son is about to start first grade, and I will be picking him up from school on weekday afternoons.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Evening availability<\/strong>: \u201cIn the past, I\u2019ve been able to stay late on Wednesdays, but I can\u2019t tonight. I made a commitment to myself to carve out time for a new hobby, so I\u2019m taking a pottery class.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Personal challenge<\/strong>: \u201cI\u2019ve had a medical issue come up that\u2019s making it difficult for me to work on-site every day.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Vacation<\/strong>: \u201cTo get a real break and spend quality time with my family, I totally unplug when I\u2019m on vacation.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      2. The specific constraints of your availability<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

      Giving clear details helps people understand exactly when you won\u2019t be available. That way, they\u2019re not left making what they see as a reasonable request and wondering why the heck you\u2019re not responding like usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      You can also save them from having to remember where you are by updating your online status or calendar or leaving a note on your office door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Examples:
      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Midday obligation<\/strong>: \u201cI will be leaving my office by 3 p.m. each day in order to get to my son\u2019s school on time and will update my online status so people know where I am.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Evening availability<\/strong>: \u201cClass meets tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. downtown.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Personal challenge<\/strong>: \u201cI will be working from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that I can attend medical appointments.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Vacation<\/strong>: \u201cI will be online until Tuesday at 5 p.m. and then offline until Monday at 8 a.m.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        3. How the work will or could get done<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

        Addressing this shows that you take your work responsibilities seriously and have thought about coverage. And if you are declining a request, offering alternative ways for the person to get what they need shows them that you think their work is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Pro tip: If you plan to handle the work yourself once you become available, underpromise and overdeliver. For example, if you can potentially be back online as early as 3:30 p.m., give yourself a buffer and communicate that you\u2019ll be back at 4:00. Then, if you\u2019re early, you get bonus points!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Examples:
        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • Midday obligation<\/strong>: \u201cI understand that urgent client requests can come up in the afternoon. After I pick up my son and get him settled at home, I plan to be back online by 4 p.m. to respond as needed and finish out the day.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Evening availability<\/strong>: \u201cTell me more about what needs to get done this evening. I might be able to suggest someone you could ask for help. Or, if it can wait, I could work on it in the morning.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Personal challenge<\/strong>: \u201cI will be online during my normal work hours and plan to schedule my appointments during my lunch hour whenever possible. When that isn\u2019t possible, I\u2019ll let you know what hours I\u2019ll be available and when I\u2019ll be offline.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Vacation: \u201cI\u2019ve prepped Darius to handle client and internal requests while I\u2019m out. I\u2019ve asked him to copy me on any performance reports so that we can debrief about them after I get back. If an emergency comes up that Darius feels uncomfortable handling, he will escalate to Heidi for support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          4. If\/when the boundary can be flexible<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

          Emergencies happen. So do business-critical projects that you determine are an exception. Sharing those details can put people\u2019s minds at ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          And if your boundary isn\u2019t flexible? Say that to create clarity or simply exclude any mention of flexibility from the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Examples:
          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • Midday obligation<\/strong>: \u201cUnfortunately, I\u2019m not flexible on this commitment. That means that when we have clients in town, I will need to arrange to meet with them in the morning or over lunch\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Personal challenge<\/strong>: \u201cBecause next week\u2019s conference is so critical for meeting our quarterly goal, I have made arrangements to attend all three days in a row.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Vacation<\/strong>: \u201cIf Heidi decides that she can\u2019t go forward without my input, I\u2019ve asked her to text me.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            Putting it all together:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

            Midday obligation<\/strong>: \u201cMy son is about to start first grade, and I will be picking him up from school on weekday afternoons. I will be leaving my office by 3 p.m. each day in order to get to my son\u2019s school on time and will update my online status so people know where I am. I understand that urgent client requests can come up in the afternoon. After I pick up my son and get him settled at home, I plan to be back online by 4 p.m. to respond as needed and finish out the day. Unfortunately, I\u2019m not flexible on this commitment. That means that when we have clients in town, I will need to arrange to meet with them in the morning or over lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Evening availability<\/strong>: \u201cIn the past, I\u2019ve been able to stay late on Wednesdays, but I can\u2019t tonight. I made a commitment to myself to carve out time for a new hobby, so I\u2019m taking a pottery class. Class meets tonight from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. downtown. Tell me more about what needs to get done this evening. I might be able to suggest someone you could ask for help. Or, if it can wait, I could work on it in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Personal challenge<\/strong>: \u201cI\u2019ve had a medical issue come up that\u2019s making it difficult for me to commute to the office every day. I will be working from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays so that I can attend medical appointments. I will be online during my normal work hours and plan to schedule my appointments during my lunch hour whenever possible. When that isn\u2019t possible, I\u2019ll let you know what hours I\u2019ll be available and when I\u2019ll be offline. Because next week\u2019s conference is so critical for meeting our quarterly goal, I have made arrangements to attend all three days in a row.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Vacation<\/strong>: \u201cTo get a real break and spend quality time with my family, I totally unplug when I\u2019m on vacation. I will be online until Tuesday at 5 p.m. and then offline until Monday at 8 a.m. I\u2019ve prepped Darius to handle client and internal requests while I\u2019m out. I\u2019ve asked him to copy me on any performance reports so that we can debrief about them after I get back. If an emergency comes up that Darius feels uncomfortable handling, he will escalate to Heidi for support. If Heidi decides that she can\u2019t go forward without my input, I\u2019ve asked her to text me.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. \u201cYou have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage \u2014 pleasantly, smilingly, unapologetically \u2014 to say no to other things.\u201d \u2014Stephen R. Covey What\u2019s standing between you and another evening answering emails from your couch, skipping a social […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-26592","resources","type-resources","status-publish","hentry","type-newsletters"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n4 Steps to Communicate a Work\/Life Boundary Effectively - FranklinCovey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. \u201cYou have to decide what your\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/en\/resources\/4-steps-to-communicate-a-work-life-boundary-effectively\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"4 Steps to Communicate a Work\/Life Boundary Effectively\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This article originally appeared on\u00a0Microlearning, our bite-sized online solution for leaders and individual contributors. \u201cYou have to decide what your\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/en\/resources\/4-steps-to-communicate-a-work-life-boundary-effectively\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"FranklinCovey\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-04T09:02:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/4-steps-to-communicate-a-work-life-boundary-effectively.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/4-steps-to-communicate-a-work-life-boundary-effectively\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/benelux.vps.buzztestserver.co.uk\\\/en\\\/resources\\\/4-steps-to-communicate-a-work-life-boundary-effectively\\\/\",\"name\":\"4 Steps to Communicate a Work\\\/Life Boundary Effectively - 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