Boundaries at Work: A Path to Well-Being
Today is Health Workforce Well-Being Day, so what better day is there than today to talk about 🌟 boundaries 🌟!
Having healthy boundaries is an important part of the workplace experience. Boundaries shape our time, our mental energy, our physical health, and our overall sense of well-being. One of my favorite explanations of boundaries is that you are teaching others how to be in relationship with you (and that includes you!). In the workplace, this can look like turning down 9 a.m. meetings or establishing "No Meeting Fridays," asking for accommodations for a more ergonomic workspace, closing your door when you don't want interruptions, or going to the gym on your lunch break. Healthy boundaries start with knowing what you value, and at the top of that list should be you. To tie back into today's quote: with healthy boundaries, you decide which way the scales tip.
So why is a lawyer talking about healthy boundaries? In addition to my own experiences navigating boundaries in the workplace, which I'll share in future posts for this newsletter, research tells us why boundaries are so important. According to Bloomberg Law's Attorney Workload and Hours Survey for the first half of 2023 (email required for download), 59% of lawyers who responded faced an inability to "disconnect" from work, and nearly 40% of respondents felt their wellbeing worsened over the first half of the year. It's not just lawyers - according to a Gallup study of employee wellbeing, 61% of employees who are engaged but not thriving are more likely to experience burnout often or always.
I'm also writing this newsletter because law and policy play an important role in our workplace experience. Just a few examples include:
Americans with Disabilities Act
Occupational Safety and Health Act
Family Medical Leave Act
Affordable Care Act
Mental Healthy Parity and Addiction Equity Act
Non-discrimination provisions under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Employee Assistance Programs, Flexible Work Schedules, and Wellness Programs
Knowing the legal framework for workplace wellbeing can help us to be better advocates for what we need to thrive in the workplace, and for policies and programs that create a healthy organization.
On a personal note, I also feel very deeply about the importance of boundaries in the workplace. I'll share one quick story. In early 2023, I was running myself ragged at work, with a heavy meeting load and a lot of projects. I'm one of those people who thrives on chaos, and it's important to me to be able to control my time in a way that works for me. But I remember being at a meeting and a partner I was working with pulled me aside and said "I see how busy you are and how much you are doing. You need to make sure you are taking care of yourself." She shared that she had a heart attack at work a year prior, and it was a wake-up call to her. How many of us have heard some variation of the idea that your job doesn't love you? It was a kind warning to take better care of myself and to put my relationship with work in perspective.
I've done exactly that, and in this newsletter, I'll explore lessons learned through experience, share tips and tricks for having healthy workplace boundaries, explore legal and policy issues, and uplift ways to work that bring you joy.
Start building better boundaries today!
➡ Learn more about Health Workforce Well-Being Day, celebrated on the anniversary of the Health Care Provider Protection Act being signed into law.
➡ Take one action to support your well-being today and share what you're doing in the comments. I’m going to end my day with mindful yoga.