So often, boundaries at work are challenged and sometimes we end up giving more than is actually required. Staff shortages, covering sick leave, or just being super busy can leave us feeling stretched and can bring extra pressure. Perhaps you are in a new role and so naturally there isn’t clarity about what is expected of you.
I share below why it is crucial to get role clarity and form a job description that will ultimately support you and everyone you work with.
Clearer boundaries
For sure, everyone mucking in especially if you are a small team is crucial and it maybe you have a good crew where you naturally are in touch about your role, what is needed and what you are happy to do.
Communication is crucial in everything, especially at work and team work.
If however you are not fortunate enough to have a clear structure of support, or open communication, then knowing your role and who is responsible is essential. Ideally having a clear go to of support you can aid this, but ultimately we want to be strengthened in ourself and clear what our role entails.
Boundaries ultimately come down to knowing yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, but also knowing what your expectations are at work.
Clear boundaries, often means it is easier to switch off or have a more enriched down time from work. After all, life is not all about hard work. This is a misconception from an outdated model of work until you drop, for sure working hard is part of life, but this belief that that is the only way to get there is to slog on a treadmill day in and day out is not realistic or supportive.
Job description
Revisit your job description, what are you doing? What are you not doing? Is there anything you like or dislike? Is there anyone else that now does some of these tasks? Or is there any extra or new tasks to add?
I would wholeheartedly take some time to jot this down for a guide to clarifying your role, if you dont have one, start one.
You are a valued human being that deserves a healthy work life balance and to be exalted in your career. Whilst we will all have bad days, we spend sooooo long at work and if you are hitting regular stressors that is impacting your personal life and you feel you are not being compensated for, then now is the time to take back the control.
Trust me, I have been there which is why I deeply understand about this and why I am writing this, I was just recently in a new role and it all got way out of control who was responsible, what was my role, but by speaking up, I got to work with the manager to put job descriptions into place, so everyone felt more at ease and clearer within the team
Strengths and weaknesses
It might be actually there are things you don’t like doing, or don’t want to do and your job has gone far out of sight and a bit topsy turvey. You might be forced into a position of covering sick leave, or feel stretched to cover staff shortages. Of course sometimes this is inevitable, but if there isnt support and it is dragging on then it ultimately leads to unhappy staff. Support and healthy breaks are key to regaining strength.
Ideally you want a role with regular check ins on how you are, how is the workload, what elements you like, dislike doing and any potential support that is missing. Weaknesses are okay, we all have them. Is it that you need extra training? What is is about these tasks do you not like? Perhaps the person sat opposite you, loves doing that task, so there might be an easy solution already.
If you are not clear about your natural strengths and weaknesses, then I offer support in finding this out. Sign up here Contact to receive when the next passions and values training will be.
Time management
Once you have written or revisited your job description, work out how long it takes you to complete all your regular tasks, this will help to see where priorities can be focused and is a healthy chunk of evidence to take to your go to.
it only takes 5 mins to jot down your mains tasks. The time part can be broken down into chunks. You may find it helpful to reflect on this or go full blown into using a time management tool, like Toggi.
In my experience, awareness = clarity = knowledge = change.
Benefits of gaining clarity in your role
Speaking up with your knowledge will ultimately help you and others to do the same in their role and can be fed back to management. If you feel you are not getting the support you need, then you really need to consider if this is the type of role you want to be in. Maybe you feel strong in yourself and have other supports outside of work so your ‘why’ to going to work is clear and for you it’s okay that it isnt ideal.
If however, you want to change something, then having this is evidence of what you are doing is so helpful.
It can make our pay grade easier to re-consider, as you are seeing evidence for what you are doing. I am doing all this and it takes me this long. Ask yourself, do you feel it reflects on your worth? I mean worth from your most highest, incredible self, not the small version we can sometimes think of ourselves.
It can bring a better overview of what’s needed or missing as a whole, this is where management should see and be able to advise the directors of what is missing.
Opportunity for changing what isnt working or serving you. For sure there will be industries where no change is possible or they dont see a way out as they are not focusing in on solutions. Again, choosing which firm you work for and hopefully one with most support is ideal, but by role clarity then you have an opportunity to make a change.
It makes reviews easier and quicker, as there is more of an awareness and general flow.
To conclude, so there you have it, if you havent got a job description please do one, if you feel too busy to do one, that is the perfect time to do it. As always, if you have any queries, or want to feedback or even book in a free overwhelm session to focus practically on feeling calmer and more in control of your career and work life balance, then do reach out here.
You are ready to let go and unwind after a stressful day, whether this is to do with your working day, or letting go of what isn’t serving you, then here are my simple tips for healthy boundaries to help wind down from buzzy to calm.
*Change of outfit
It may seem simple, but this is a great way to let go of the role you have just been in. It’s okay to feel like we play different roles in our life and we don’t necessarily want to feel in our ‘work’ role when we are relaxing at home. Who doesn’t love getting into comfy trousers or clothes that help you feel more relaxed?
*Salt
Salt is a natural cleanser and has many healing properties. Think of the power and relaxing sounds of the sea, or those lovely salt lamps, whether its a dead sea salt, or epsom salt bath, or using natural salt at the end of the shower, salt is so good for cleansing negative energies away from the day.
*Figure of 8
A simple visualisation where you imagine you in one circle of the 8, the thing you want to detach from in the other circle and imagine cutting down through that 8 to release the two segments in half. This can be repeated to enhance a separation between you and the thing you wish to let go of.
*Movement
Shaking it up, literally! Whether it is the gym, dancing, or just moving around in whatever fashion feels good for your body, it will for sure bring in some freshness and relief.
*Breath
I love balanced breathing, which is equal breaths of 6 or 8 seconds on the inhale and exhale. Just 2 minutes of this can help balance our nervous system, which is vital in transitioning from that adrenaline rush to softening and relaxing.
To conclude, as with anything, light reflection can bring some realisations, for example what’s really going on here, was it just a full on day, or does this pattern repeat itself? If so what measures could support you further? It is always good to see where more care and support is needed.
If any of this is tricky, then a reminder to just be gentle on yourself. If you feel you need more support with this, then as a remote/hands on therapist and coach, being available to listen and hold spaces for beings can be deeply soothing, it can also help with any stuck or repeating patterns you want to loosen the grip of. I offer 1-2-1 and small group coaching and reiki healing, you can contact me here for more information.
Here is a gentle relaxation session for you to enjoy and let go of the day.
Overwhelmed with work? This is a very common topic I get asked about.
Perhaps you feel you are pulling the weight more than your colleagues and you are the one staying late? Or the department is short-staffed, so a lot more is falling on to you?
Perhaps you are speaking up, but it doesn’t feel welcomed by the manager, or nothing is actually being done about it? You might have some fears about speaking up all the time, to not become the so-called annoying employee. This is weighing heavy on you and the worries of burnout are on the horizon.
Overwhelmed with work solutions
1. Reflect on the love and your contributions
It is insightful to reflect on the love you do have for your job, even if it feels teeny tiny. You could also reflect on how fully you do show up and recognise the strengths you do contribute at work. This in itself may shift the perspective slightly.
2. Nourishment
I always suggest finding ways to nourish yourself outside of work, to help you feel stronger as you are. This could look like exercise, spending time with friends and family and focusing on your loves. All of this will help contribute to quality downtime, so your nervous system can settle.
3. Reflections
Reflecting slightly on why the other workers are not as motivated, perhaps it isn’t a job they enjoy or, they are more consumed with life outside of work, or perhaps there is a common problem that you are all facing. Sometimes it helps to zoom out from our own perspective onto the larger picture. It can soothe to know it isnt just you facing a struggle.
It may be that you feel totally alone in your struggle and is not connected to the team, in which case reflecting on this pattern has arisen before in another scenario. What exactly don’t you like, allow yourself to go there, perhaps writing it down so it feels a bit lighter.
4. Management support
Do you have good communication with your manager? Are they aware of your concerns? It is good to get clear on whose responsibility it is with each role, which should really fall to your manager. If not, does your manager have a manager you could go to with your suggestions and concerns?
5. Acceptance
If you have tried raising concerns but they are not open to making changes, then you will either need to accept how it looks and focus on strengthening yourself as best you can, so setting boundaries and nourishing yourself. The other alternative is to seek other employment. It might be worth it before you were to leave, to share with your boss how it is impacting you and also how much you love your job.
What I can offer in coaching support:-
Relaxation techniques to feel more you, to feel stronger as you are and to calm the nervous system.
Find clear boundaries within work and promote your nourishment outside of work.
Becoming unstuck from mindset patterns that are holding us back and keeping us small.
Exploring alternative options, if leaving is a good solution and to prevent the same pattern from occurring in a different job.
Only you can decide is a very true and annoying saying, sometimes we want someone else to make the decision, so we don’t have the pressure. From being an indecisive person, I have been there, with the torment of decision-making. The nail-biting, frowning, and pressure we can put on ourselves. I share 6 tips to help you get clear on how to make a decision that sits right for you and your alignment
Sometimes pausing and not making a decision, which is also a decision, is a perfect choice, and focusing on your loves as a space for easing out of the overwhelm, can help balance out the stress.
CHANGE OF SCENE
Literally, changing the environment you are in, whether it is a walk, a different working space, and getting out in a different head space is a real support. Perhaps it is invigorating to our body and mind with the fresh air, or giving us a break from not feeling stuck in the thinking, even if it’s for 10 minutes, get out from where you currently are ruminating
RELAXATION
Rather than being in a space of need, allow yourself the space of desire, as in asking yourself, what does my soul deeply desire today? What can I do today to support myself? Perhaps it is literally, to have a bath and relax. You are totally allowed to do this and it supports us in being gentle on ourselves.
FRIENDS
I have found immense power in sharing things out loud, it somehow frees you from the little being in the victim story. Share the load and your friend needn’t actually say anything or take responsibility, as we have to discern what is right for us, but it can for sure help tapping into your support network during this time.
JOURNAL
Just start by offloading a little, to support freeing up your brain space. You can do the old pros and cons table, however, I usually start by sharing what my loves and passions are, which is linked to the below.
LOVES
Reminding yourself of what you really enjoy in your life now, or what you would like to bring about. Reflecting on your values and what is important to you, can also really support you in feeling more heart full, than in a state of worry. Perhaps you have goals, perhaps you have no idea, even asking yourself where do I see myself in 6 months, 1 year or where would I like to be? This can help start a trail of breadcrumb steps, rather than getting stuck in the how, but playing with the possibilities.
VISUALISE
Allow yourself to consider going through with the decision and see yourself there in the situation, what is going on, how is it feeling, what are you doing? These are all questions to ask yourself. You can also imagine yourself with the other option of the decision and asking yourself again, how does it feel?
RECEIVE SUPPORT
Sometimes, having a guide to hold you through the process can really serve. What has helped me has been Mbit and Reiki.
Mbit is a guided process, where you go within to check what your head thinks, what your heart feels and what your gut truly hungers for. You will be surprised at this process, it is amazing what wisdom we have available from within. This also supports us if we feel our head wants one thing, but our heart wants something else. We align our brains from within, so internally we feel more soothed, clear and aligned. You can ask the specific question and also enhance the overall connection you have to yourself.
Reiki is a peaceful and relaxing way to receive support from the greater source, or the divine, also called angels, spirits and guides, using oracle cards and energy. This helps in removing blocks and can reveal fresh energy and insights into what could support you.
Ultimately, decisions can often work themselves out and knowing we can always change our minds or simply learn for the next decision if it dosent go so well. So, the key is relaxation, self-care, doing what you love and enjoy, and using your mind to visualise to support you in becoming clear.
