How to Balance Flexibility and Boundaries

7 Ways To Set Boundaries At Work (Maintain Balance Without Hurting Your Growth): 1. Define, Share, & Stick To Working Hours Setting clear boundaries around the time that you’re “on” at work is a two-for-one deal: - It makes it easier for you to put work away at the end of the day - It makes it easier for your colleagues to know when you’re “on” What To Do: In upcoming 1:1s, mention that you had some changes outside of work and will be signing off at X time, but will be available any time before that. Then stick to it! 2. Don’t Reply To Messages Immediately When you reply to everything as soon as you get it, people begin to expect that from you. Building in a buffer sets new expectations that you’re not going to drop everything to make someone else’s To Do item your problem. What To Do: Set a rule for yourself where you won’t reply to non-critical emails or Slack for at least [Time]. You can start small (say, 5 minutes) then begin to work your way up. 3. Use The “Substitution Method” For New Asks Saying yes to new initiatives can mean stretching yourself too thin. If you feel like too much is on your plate, try the “Substitution Method.” What To Do: When given a new ask: - Thank them for looping you in - Outline all the projects you’re working on - Ask which should be deprioritized for this When you make people realize that saying yes to this means deprioritizing something else, they’ll think twice. 4. Block “Focus Time” On Your Calendar The average employee is interrupted 56 times per day. That only leaves 8.5 minutes between interrupts. What To Do: Put a placeholder on your calendar where you’re marked as busy. During that time, stop notifications on Slack, email, etc. Then focus on the biggest task you have. Start small with 15 minutes, then add 15 minutes every week or two until you’re up to 2-3 hours. 5. Take An Actual Lunch Break Too many of us “eat” lunch while we continue to hunch over our screens and work. Your body, eyes, and brain need breaks to perform at optimal levels. Use lunch as one of these. What To Do: Block time on your calendar to eat lunch. When the time comes, close your computer and go to a different room to eat. Bonus points if you eat without your phone and go for a quick walk after. 6. Respect Colleagues’ Boundaries Society is built on reciprocity. Make sure you’re aware of, and respecting other peoples’ boundaries. They’ll notice this and they’ll be more likely to respect yours in return. What To Do: Be proactive in learning about your colleagues’ ideal setup. Ask them when their working hours are, ask when the best times for meetings are, etc. 7. Start With One & Start Small It’s tempting to try to implement all of these all at once. Don’t do that. What To Do: Pick one that resonates with you. Think about the smallest step you can take for it (e.g. time blocking for 15 minutes, not replying to messages for 5 minutes) and start there.

Saying yes to everything is NOT the key to success. Setting boundaries matters. Top performers use these 12: 1. Limit Distractions ↳Protect certain hours for deep work, and shut off all distractions during those times 2. Say no ↳Decline opportunities or projects that don't fit your priorities, whenever you can 3. Define Hours ↳Don't respond to texts, calls, DMs, or emails outside your established working hours 4. Pick Your People ↳Spend time and form connections with those who encourage, inspire, and recharge you, and let go of those who do not 5. Know Your Worth ↳Value your time and experience adequately, declining unpaid work or favors for those you aren't especially close with 6. Self-Advocate ↳Say something when you feel your effort and time are not properly valued at work 7. Define Balance ↳Clarify work-life boundaries, setting a schedule that you stick to so your work remains sustainably balanced 8. Take "You" Time ↳Block time for things that fill you up, ensuring not just that you have time away from work, but time for yourself, too 9. Distinguish Your Identity from Work ↳Set a mental boundary, knowing that your identity and worth are not defined by your position or pay 10. Make Rest a Priority ↳Ensure you schedule big breaks, like vacations, as well as frequent smaller ones throughout each day 11. Push Back ↳Don't let yourself take on excessive work: call out when you're at capacity, and ask for help prioritizing 12. Cut Negative People ↳Reduce how much you're around complaining, drama, gossip, and other non-productive talk Setting boundaries is hard! Saying no can feel like you're rejecting or disrespecting others. But what you're really doing is respecting yourself - and your time. And that will let you be even more available and present for the things that truly matter. Are there other boundaries you've found effective? --- ♻ Repost to help your network protect their energy. And follow me George Stern for more content like this.

Boundaries aren't barriers, they’re bridges to better productivity and balance. As Chiefs of Staff or Executive Assistants (or any role where we support an executive), we often juggle endless priorities and demands. Someone told me yesterday that they "heard" Chiefs of Staff have 60+ hour work weeks! 😬 😆 Maybe... if they're doing it wrong... The truth is effectiveness doesn’t come from doing everything. It comes from doing the RIGHT things *while* protecting your time, energy, and focus. That’s where boundaries come in. They’re not about saying "no" all the time— they’re about creating clarity, alignment, and space for what truly matters. Here are some important boundaries that can transform how you work (swipe through to see the what, why, and how behind these!): 1️⃣ Availability Boundaries Define when you’re accessible and how quickly you respond. Setting working hours and response times helps you protect personal time and focus. 2️⃣ Time Boundaries Guard your schedule to focus on high-priority tasks. Block time for deep work and use shared calendars to communicate your availability. 3️⃣ Emotional Boundaries Separate your emotions from work dynamics. Protect yourself from absorbing unnecessary stress or conflicts that aren’t yours to resolve. 4️⃣ Responsibility Boundaries Clarify what tasks you own and what should be handled by others. This prevents overextension and ensures you’re working on high-impact priorities. 5️⃣ Communication Boundaries Structure how and when communication happens. Batch questions, use agendas, and set expectations for response times to avoid inefficiencies. ➡️ When you set boundaries, you’re not just protecting yourself, you’re also creating a more ⭐️ structured, ⭐️ efficient, and ⭐️ effective work environment for everyone around you. Which boundary has been the most game-changing for you? Or which one do you want to set moving forward? Let’s discuss below! === 🔔 Be sure to follow me Melanie Jones The Chief of Staff Coach™, for more insights on how to be more effective in your role! ♻️ Repost to help spread awareness about effective boundaries

Your work-life balance isn't broken. Your boundaries are. The constant guilt. The midnight emails. The endless "sorry" before taking lunch. They're not signs of dedication. They're symptoms of boundaries in crisis. High performance shouldn't come at the cost of your peace. 👉🏼 8 boundary fixes that actually work 1️⃣ You apologize for basic needs ↳Keep it simple. Try, "back at 1pm" ↳Put lunch in your calendar like a meeting 2️⃣ You're always available ↳Delete work apps from your phone ↳Set one offline hour daily 3️⃣ You feel resentment building ↳Wait 24 hours before saying yes ↳Track the things that bother you. Address what you can. Reframe everything else. 4️⃣ You don't take your paid time off ↳Book 2 days off now ↳Plan one health day monthly 5️⃣ You respond instantly to everything ↳Block 3 dedicated email hours (morning/noon/late day) ↳Create auto-reply templates for off-hours 6️⃣ You feel guilty setting limits ↳List times you said no - notice you survived ↳Link to outcomes: "I deliver better work when..." 7️⃣ You over-explain everything ↳Keep responses under 20 words ↳Stop giving reasons for breaks 8️⃣ You default to 'yes' ↳Figure out what's important - align your "yes's" accordingly ✨ ↳Try, "I'll check my calendar and get back to you" You don't need better time management. You need braver boundaries. Which fix will you implement today? -- ♻️ Share to help others recognize their boundary blind spots 👉 Follow Dr. Carolyn Frost for more strategies to succeed without burning out