The moment we feel irritated and resentful about most of the things we have to do at work is usually because one—or many—of our boundaries has been crossed.
A key part of preventing or overcoming burnout is setting clear boundaries.
We are the ones who define the line that should not be crossed and at what point the dynamic becomes harmful to our health.
Now, this issue of boundaries is something we know intuitively, but for some reason we still don't define them clearly.
Why haven't we set limits before?
- How do you feel when you have to set a limit?
- Do you feel guilty, vulnerable?
- Are you afraid of how your coworkers, clients, or superiors will react? Why?
In most cases, the answer has to do with fears.
Now, what message are we sending ourselves when we act—or fail to act—out of fear of others' opinions/responses/reactions?
Whenever we change what we feel we should do—when I want to say no, but I say yes because of what others might think, for example—we are unconsciously seeking to please, which stems from a slight feeling of inferiority.
When we find ourselves in that position, facing the fear of the response—which 99% of the time is much more positive than what we have in mind—is the best and healthiest thing to do, both physically and emotionally.
