How to Set Boundaries and Increase Your Productivity

Regarding work, it can be hard to say no to whatever your boss or team asks you to do. You can be reluctant to do it for many reasons, from losing the opportunity to show off your skills to being scared of the implications of answering no. However, being able to say no and setting boundaries can help you stay productive and prevent potential burnout.

So, how does one set boundaries and boost their productivity in the process? Here are 5 tips that will help you get started:

Know Which Things You Can And Cannot Do

One of the main reasons we find it hard to create boundaries is our inability to determine which tasks or activities to say yes and no. We must know these tasks or activities because our time is precious, and we are limited in how much we can do in a day.

Take time to determine which tasks and activities you can commit to and see if they align with your career goals.

Don’t Always Say Yes To New Projects

Before you take on a task, check your current to-do list to see your priorities and how the new functions will match them. Don’t be afraid to say no to new projects if your workload is full or close to completion. You may compromise the quality of your work if you try to cram the tasks together and even miss deadlines.

Explain Why You Are Declining

There will be people in your workplace that would not take a simple no for an answer and will definitely ask for your reasoning. Be quite clear about your refusal, and do not provide any gaps in your response so people can’t change their wording to get you to say yes. If they ask for your reason, explain and own your answer.

Reduce The Number Of Meetings You Do

As mentioned above, you only have limited time to do all the tasks you have in a day and adding new ones will only strain your time further. If you get an invitation for a meeting, check what the discussions are about and see if you need to be there. You can contact the person inviting you to the meeting to ask for details about the meeting and if you need to collaborate or conduct a lecture. If not, you can skip it.

Repeat Yourself

As you do your best to be clear about your boundaries, you may get people who will be against your change. It may even surprise them that you are saying no when you used to help them. If they keep pressing you to reconsider, be firm and repeat your answer. If you can, prepare your response and be confident when answering.

There are many ways to improve productivity, but if you want it to be truly effective, the best way to do it is by setting boundaries. Try applying the tips above and practice until you feel like it is second nature. Not only will you have more time to do your tasks, but you will also be able to do things that support your passions and goals easily.

Here are more articles on how you can work on your productivity:
7 Productivity Apps for Working from Home
6 Apps that increase Your Productivity
Guest Post: How Sleep Affects Productivity at Work

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