Setting good boundaries to prevent burnout

Burnout is rarely just about workload. It’s often a signal that your boundaries are unclear, misaligned or missing entirely. When you define what’s okay and what’s not, you protect your energy, your effectiveness and your long-term career growth.

I am an actively recovering workaholic. I’ve come a long way, but I’m still a work in progress. It’s difficult for me to look back and see the unhealthy cycle I created without judgment. I worked evenings and weekends to ensure that I answered every email, completed tasks, improved processes and created new programs.

And in my true high achiever fashion, I kept upping my productivity game. I was “proving” myself (to whom I’m still unsure) and unintentionally raising the bar for my team and peers.

We live in a truly amazing country, founded by grit, determination and hope. The American Dream is based on the premise that the harder you work, the more successful you’ll be. It’s no wonder that we respect people who work hard and hustle.

In that way, the cards are stacked against us. But here’s the good news. The tide is changing. Millennials and Gen Z are challenging the status quo. They’re setting a different tone for work-life balance, something that feels more like work-life harmony.

They’re bringing their authentic self to work versus having a separate persona. They’re prioritizing self-care and their personal life. And they work hard and make a big impact. They’re role modeling a healthier way to live.

Of course, this is not exclusive to younger generations. I’ve worked with many colleagues who had figured out how to live balanced lives, getting a lot of work done and enjoying a robust and seemingly carefree life.

How to recognize the signs of burnout

So how do you know if you are burnt out? Here are some of the telltale signs to watch out for:

• You’re easily irritated or impatient with colleagues
• You don’t get excited about the kind of work or projects you typically love
• You feel detached from your work, colleagues or the company
• You’re cynical or overly critical at work
• You’re overwhelmed, lack energy and feel ineffective

Reaching a point of burnout usually tells us that we’re not at the right place, we haven’t set good boundaries or both.

What boundaries actually are

Boundaries are as simple as defining what’s okay or not okay for us. When we don’t set good boundaries, we tolerate a lot of things that don’t serve us and eventually become resentful and angry.

Questions to help you reset your boundaries

Give yourself time and space to thoughtfully answer these questions without judgment. Come from a place of curiosity:

• Is burnout part of the culture? Are most of my colleagues constantly stressed? Is everyone working more than 40 hours a week?
• What does work-life balance or harmony look like for me?
• What boundaries have I set that are helpful?
• What boundaries have I set that aren’t contributing to good work-life balance?
• What new boundaries can I set?
• Who do I know who exhibits good work-life balance?

New boundaries can be simple, like not responding to messages immediately, or more structured, like not checking email outside of defined hours.

Why setting boundaries can feel difficult

I am not a proponent of leaving a job proactively before having another lined up unless you’re in a toxic environment or it’s affecting your mental health.

That said, it is challenging to reset boundaries and expectations after you’ve already established yourself at work, especially if you’ve been there a long time.

It’s still worthwhile to have an open dialogue with your manager and team about changes you’d like to make and invite them to do the same.

Set boundaries early when you can

When you start a new job, you have a unique opportunity to establish boundaries from the beginning. It may feel uncomfortable in the short term, but it creates long-term benefits.

Give yourself the time and space to determine what a healthy work-life balance looks like and what boundaries you want to set.

By doing this, you’ll be able to truly thrive at work and feel more energized and inspired to do your best work.