When you get hired to do a job or work for a corporation, they've hired you because you are the right person for the job, you fit their needs and you have their desired skill set. In turn, you're excited about being the one chosen. You fought the good fight and won the job! Whoo hoo!
You're excited about your job description. You fit their budget; you're fine with the prescribed salary and if you're not, they've hooked you with some sort of promise of a bonus or perk. The day that you joined the company of your dreams, you received a large binder with all you need to know about the company. If you're anything like me, you'll skim through it and you're golden. The binder is filled with the do's and don'ts and the musts and must-nots; it's clear that these are the company boundaries and rules for being a member of company. In essence they are rules of their game.
Fast Forward: the novelty of being the new person has worn off now. You fit snugly into your position. You have been on the job a few weeks or months, you're smart enough and you pretty much have a general lay of the land by now. In space of those months, you are seeing or should be seeing your boundaries or the boundaries that you see that you have to create for yourself.
As an employee do you have clear concise boundaries that you play by? If so, are they ones that can be laid out clearly to your bosses and co-workers, or are they boundaries that only you know about and everyone else has to read your mind to understand? Do you have boundaries for your performance on the job?
It is important that you understand what it is you will and will not tolerate so you can discover what works for you and what does not work, so you can organize yourself in a way that makes your life on the job comfortable. This is an opportunity to help you to see where you compromise and how it can affect you mentally, physically and emotionally.
Is it important for you to have timelines for your work? Is it important that you take lunch and breaks for effective productivity throughout the day? How important is it for your co-workers to respect your space and the work that you do? Can you and do you welcome positive criticism or do you see criticism as a put down? How important is it for you to take vacation or wellbeing days within the confines of your allowable time off? Is overtime mandatory and, if it is mandatory, is it something that you can balance so that your life is balanced? Or is overtime something that you need to meet your economic obligation?
How important is it for you to get positive feedback and approval from your bosses? Is feedback something that you can share so that you can do your work and feel appreciated? Are you confident sharing that something is not in your job description in a respectful manner, or are you the kind of person that catches an attitude readily? Are you comfortable stating these needs in a confident way. How important is the way you're spoken to on the job to you and if this need is not met, can you handle it in a way that it is not deem personal and sort it out?
As a coach, I often tell people that anyone can ask you for anything, and if you have healthy boundaries your answers can be from a healthy place none personal place. If your boundaries are unhealthy you will take everything personal and be on the defensive side of the fence.
Practicing truth with yourself gives you clarity and peace of mind which helps know what your boundaries and rules are. It is important that your boundaries are clear in who you are being on the job. It helps you be clear about your responsibilities, your attitudes and how you get along with others. It is also important that you be clear in your communication and the promises that you make to yourself and to others.
- Practicing self care on your job is really important:
- Scheduling a regular lunch hour. (Especially for people that are busy and love their jobs.)
- Having regular breaks (giving your mind and body a rest period)
- Taking time off for your medical checkups and when you are sick (infecting others with flu virus etc)
- Being honest about deadlines. (Can I deliver or not)
- Taking your vacation
- Being an honest team player
- Teaching people how you want to be treated.
- Respecting your space and others
- Being gentle with yourself regarding your abilities
- Not making your co-workers or yourself wrong
- Being responsible with amount of overtime you (families and friends need you also)
- Practice work and Life Balance
Last and not least, it is very important that you enjoy your job and you feel productive to generate a feeling of contribution.
Live Life Your Way,
Noreen Sumpter
