The Power of Planning - Last in a Series of Five

Boundaries

As you gain muscle with planning you will find that the need to establish and respect healthy, flexible boundaries will be important to your overall success. 

It may be challenging to set boundaries with yourself and others.  Take responsibility for learning all you can about boundaries.  Research what they are and evaluate if they are missing in your life.  The less you know about them the less equipped you are to have them and to honor others' boundaries.  Learn what to do about establishing them, how to go about honoring them in yourself and others.  It will aid your professional maturity and protect your plans, relationships, self-esteem and goals from sabotage. 

There are fixed boundaries and there are times they are valid and imperative.  There are loose boundaries and sometimes they are the right fit.  The best personal boundaries are flexible.

Examples:

Fixed boundary - you never misuse your PC as spelled out by IT.

Loose boundary - within reason you can choose what is on your work station – photos of family, etc.

Flexible boundary - you choose who you eat lunch (you can say no) with but you cooperate and eat with a team when asked or required.

Three Tips for Setting Boundaries at Work

1.      Focus on how to fix what is broken versus how it got broken and who is to blame.  

2.   Swallow your pride, ask for help or delegate when managing overload.   As soon as you know you have over-committed go tell the truth, express regret and work on a realistic agreement.

3.      Handle your emotions with professional maturity - becoming known as a drama queens or hot tempered will harm your reputation.

Put planning to work for you and you will find it works! 

 

Still learning,

Honey