$ 5 Empowering Techniques For Setting Boundaries In Crucial Areas

5 Empowering Techniques for Setting Boundaries in Crucial Areas of Life

Ways Setting Boundaries Raises Bar Of Comfort Zones 2

โ€œSetting boundaries is your responsibility. People will continue to do what you allow. You get to decide what is and what isnโ€™t allowed in your life.โ€ โ€“ Unknown

Key Points

  • Maintaining boundaries and openly communicating and asserting your values help protect against their being compromised.
  • Committing to mental/emotional health boundaries will decrease your anxiety, depression, and overall sense of being overwhelmed.
  • Define the personal space bubble that feels most comfortable to you, and mindfully explain why you need more breathing room.

Maintaining boundaries is something people struggle with every day. Personal boundaries, or the act of setting boundaries, is a life skill that has been popularized by self-help authors and support groups since the mid-1980s.

The American Psychology Association dictionary defines the term โ€˜boundaryโ€™ as โ€œa psychological demarcation that protects the integrity of an individual or group or that helps the person or group set realistic limits on participation in a relationship or activity.โ€

Throughout the pandemic, boundary setting became more complicated and challenging for people faced with balancing remote and hybrid models of employment to maintain their work/life equilibrium. However, besides keeping our work/life boundaries, people constantly set boundaries regarding our mental/emotional health, physical space, relationships, and materials.

Sometimes, since weโ€™re unaware, we can set boundaries, but our messaging and preferences may be fluid or inconsistent. This leads to regular boundary violations from those around us. Here are five techniques that, if used correctly, will empower you to set clear boundaries in the five crucial areas I cited.

Related: Setting And Maintaining Boundaries: How To Set Boundaries To Protect Your Mental Health

5 Techniques That Can Help You In Setting Clear Boundaries

1. Mental/Emotional Health.

Setting mental/emotional health boundaries help decrease feelings of anxiety and depression. Holding on to your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and opinions negates other peopleโ€™s ability to invalidate or disparage them.

Curate what you choose to listen to, and donโ€™t feel that your emotions must be in sync with everyone elseโ€™s. Strong boundaries will enable you to coexist with others while eliminating the need for forced conflict and/or judgment of each otherโ€™s state of mind. No one wins. No one loses. This increases self-confidence and self-respect.

Setting boundaries for better emotional and mental health

2. Physical Space.

Define the personal space bubble that feels most comfortable to you. If people come too close to you, move back two or three steps. You can mindfully explain that you require a little more breathing room and that itโ€™s not personal.

Physical touch can feel invasive and uncomfortable. Itโ€™s okay to advise people you prefer they donโ€™t touch you and that you hope and trust they can respect your space.

Related: How To Set Clear Boundaries: 5 Steps To Better Emotional Boundaries

3. Work/Life Boundaries.

Set your work life boundaries, and then stick to them. Decide on a daily schedule, when youโ€™ll log on and off your computer, and whether youโ€™ll have work hours on the weekends.

Turn off work notifications on smartphones and laptops when youโ€™re supposed to be โ€˜out of the office.โ€™ If youโ€™re owed a vacation, donโ€™t forget to take it. If you violate your boundaries, others will too.

4. Relationships.

Setting boundaries in all areas of your relationships is essential. Be clear and transparent regarding your expectations of your partnerโ€™s time. For example, how often do you want to have date nights, what activities do you want to share, or how should you spend vacation time? Do you have a strategy for balancing family, intimacy, and solitary time?

If you give unclear messages about your boundaries, your partner is bound to push limits to see what your responses will be. The clearer you are, the less conflict and resentment will result.

Setting boundaries for a having healthy relationships and a happier you

5. Materials.

Owning property or a specific item does not automatically make it community property. Discuss and define which items are community property and which are not. In addition, set boundaries on items that youโ€™re comfortable being used without permission and which items youโ€™re not.

Be clear about your expectations when youโ€™d like items returned. Avoid sending conflicting messages about your possessions. If your messaging is consistent, people respect your boundaries.

There are many positive aspects to setting more finite boundaries in your life. You will become a stronger person for it, as you experience an improvement in your confidence and self-respect.

Related: How Healthy Boundaries Help Protect Your Personal Space

There will be a concurrent reduction in scenarios where you feel overwhelmed, pressured, depressed, and anxiety-ridden because you have stopped allowing boundary violations. Over time, firm boundaries will assist you on a journey toward a more satisfying life.

Want to know more about how to set work life boundaries? Check this video out below!

The print version of Dr. Jennifer Guttmanโ€™s debut as an author,ย Beyond Happiness, The 6 Secrets Of Lifetime Satisfactionย will be published by Post Hill Press on May 30, 2023. Pre-order linkย http://posthill.to/1637587945. You can also pre-order her book at Barnes & Noble โ€“ https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beyond-happiness-jennifer-guttman-psyd/1142978001

References:

APA Dictionary of Psychology, 2022, dictionary.apa.org, American Psychological Association
Written By Jennifer Guttman Psy.D.
Originally Appeared On Psychology Today
maintaining boundaries

— Share —

, ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Up Next

Athazagoraphobia: 8 Signs You Suffer From The Phobia of Being Forgottenย 

Signs Of The Phobia of Being Forgotten: Athazagoraphobia

Imagine constantly worrying that youโ€™ll fade away from peopleโ€™s minds, like you never existed. Thatโ€™s what life feels like for those dealing with athazagoraphobiaโ€”the overwhelming phobia of being forgotten.

Athazagoraphobia is more than just a fleeting thought; itโ€™s more of a deep-rooted anxiety that makes you question your place in the world.

Whether itโ€™s a fear of being ignored by friends, overlooked at work, or forgotten in a relationship, this phobia can affect every part of your life.

In this article, we are going to talk about what exactly athazagoraphobia is, what causes it, and the symptoms of athazagoraphobia.

Related:

Up Next

Caught in the Void: 10 Signs of an Existential Crisis and How to Cope

Signs of an Existential Crisis and How to Cope

Have you ever had a moment where life just doesnโ€™t feel like it fits anymore? When the things that used to excite you now feel like empty rituals, and the world itself seems to have lost its color? Maybe you are going through an existential crisis.

Itโ€™s a sensation that creeps in quietly, yet hits you with a force that shakes the very core of your being. Everything you thought you knew about yourself, your purpose, and the world starts to unravel.

You begin to wonder, โ€œWhatโ€™s really going on here?โ€ If this sounds all too familiar, you may be in the midst of a profound internal shift.

Let’s explore what is an existential crisis, itโ€™s signs and the best ways when it comes to dealing with existential crisis.

Up Next

Unsocial Media: The Real Effects Of Screen Time

Unsocial Media The Real Effects Of More Screen Time

Is social media making us less social in real life? Discover the true effects of screen time on face-to-face connections and overall well-being.

Loss of real-life interaction hampers social development.

Key points

A significant amount of real-life social interaction seems essential for the development of emotional and personal skills.

Research suggests that today’s youth has about half the exposure to critical real-life social interaction that pre-internet generations did.

Trends in poor social development among young people suggest the need for urgent attention and specific strategies to enhanc

Up Next

When Grandparentsโ€™ Love Goes Sour: 8 Signs Of Toxic Grandparents And How To Survive Them

Signs Of Toxic Grandparents

Have you ever noticed certain behaviors that make you wonder if your grandparentsโ€™ love might be a littleโ€ฆ off? Spotting the signs of toxic grandparents can be tough, especially when society paints them as the ultimate source of unconditional love and support.

But sometimes, grandparents might cross boundaries, show favoritism, or create a stressful environment that doesnโ€™t quite feel right. If youโ€™ve ever felt uneasy about their behavior, youโ€™re not alone.

In this article, weโ€™ll dive into the subtle and not-so-subtle signs of toxic grandparents and give you some strategies regarding how to deal with toxic grandparents, without causing family drama.

First, let us try to understand what are toxic grandparents.

Up Next

How a Person with Bipolar Disorder Thinks: 10 Things That Cross Their Mind

How a Person with Bipolar Disorder Thinks

Ever wondered how a person with bipolar disorder thinks? Living with bipolar disorder is often a constant ride of highs and lows, not just in mood but also in thoughts.

One moment, someone might feel invincible, brimming with ideas and energy; the next, they may feel crushed by sadness or anxiety, weighed down by self-doubt and exhaustion.

Understanding how a person with bipolar disorder thinks can help you understand better what they might be going through. Today, we’ll dive into what is bipolar disorder, followed by 10 thoughts that often cross the minds of those who live with it.

Let’s start with what is bipolar disorder.

Related:

Up Next

9 Unusual Signs of Low Intelligence That Will Surprise You

Indicators of Low Intelligence That Will Surprise You

When we talk about intelligence, most of us picture sharp-witted people solving puzzles or doing complex math. But the signs of low intelligence can be just as telling, and they show up in ways you might not expect.

A low IQ person often exhibit certain behaviors or attitudes that make them stand out. Whether itโ€™s their inability to adapt or their rigid thinking, these subtle low IQ symptoms say a lot.

Today, we are going to do a deep dive into the 9 unusual signs of low intelligence that might surprise youโ€”because intelligence isnโ€™t just about getting straight Aโ€™s.

Related:

Up Next

How Sleep affects Your Mental Health

How Sleep affects your mental health 1

The quality and amount of sleep play a huge role in the mental health and mood of an individual.

Even just one night of inadequate sleep can heighten oneโ€™s stress level. Constant lack of sleep and chronic sleep deprivation can alter a personโ€™s disposition and may even lead to mental health issues like anxiety and depression. In fact, a lot of research is now establishing links between insomnia and depression and how the two can interchangeably affect each other.

Sleep and mental health are broad and complex topics that still need further research to be able to fully grasp and comprehend well about them. All the same, the more we dig deeper w