Sticking to your time boundaries
Ending work on time (both physically working AND thinking about work) is one of the most important things you can learn how to do.
Learning how to stick to your physical and mental work boundaries will have you feeling rested and relaxed and enjoying your life. When you don't do this, you will feel frantic, worried, and you will end up burning out, needing a break, or wanting to quit your job/business.
The four biggest reasons I see for NOT sticking to your time boundaries are:
1. Doubting that you've done enough so you keep doing more and more and more - way beyond what you've planned to do for the day.
This stems from a lack of self-trust. You don't trust that your decisions are the right one so you overcompensate with overworking.
Your work is to stick to your plan, even when it's uncomfortable and you have a million good reasons why you need to keep working.
2. Not wanting to upset someone else.
This looks like saying yes and taking work on when you don't actually have the capacity. Or staying in meetings longer than you're supposed to because you're worried what people will think if you leave. The ONLY people that will be upset with you uphold these time boundaries are people that struggle with boundaries themselves.
Your work is to say no and let other people be wrong about you.
3. Sloppy work habits.
This looks like procrastinating. Not having a clear plan. Avoiding your plan in lieu of others' needs. Feeling frantic so you stop and start a million different tasks. Being really responsive to other people but neglecting yourself. Sloppy work habits most often come from one of three places: not planning well, people pleasing, or not knowing what to do.
Your work is to learn how to plan well, including deciding ahead of time what you will be responsive to and what you'll save for a later time and focusing on what you DO know.
4. Not planning your day realistically.
You're over-stuffing your day and trying to overcome your fear of, "I have too much to do and not enough time," with fantasy planning. When you plan too many things, you'll get less done than if you take the time to plan strategically and get the most important things done. You'll end up feeling busy and reactive instead of calm and productive. This is you if you're terrified to slow down and think you for sure don't have time to plan.
Your work is feel the discomfort of slowing down and taking the time to look at your day and responsibilities and plan realistically.
Which one sounds most like you? What are your biggest takeaways from this post? Tell me in the comments!
See you next week,
Gretta
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