Personal Boundaries

Setting personal boundaries includes recognizing when and how to step away from difficult situations when you need to focus on your own needs.

How to establish healthy personal boundaries:

  • Recognize that other people’s needs and feelings are not more important than your own. Supporting a staff member should not have a detrimental impact on your own health and well being.

  • It can be difficult to say no but important to consider when you need to replenish your own internal resources. For example, is today a good day for you to check-in with someone who is struggling or do you need to focus on your own wellness and check in with them tomorrow?

  • Identify the actions and behaviours that you find unacceptable. Let others know when they’ve crossed the line, acted inappropriately, or disrespected you in any way.

  • Trust and believe in yourself. You know what you need, want and value. Healthy boundaries make it possible for you to celebrate your strengths and respect your abilities and individuality as well as others.

Signs of unhealthy boundaries:

  • Going against personal values or rights in order to please others.

  • Giving as much as you can for the sake of giving.

  • Taking as much as you can for the sake of taking.

  • Letting others define you.

  • Expecting others to fill your needs automatically.

  • Feeling bad or guilty when you say no.

Tips taken from Essential Life Skills. For more information, tips and articles on healthy personal boundaries, visit Essential Life skills:

www.essentiallifeskills.net/personalboundaries

For additional information tips on healthy boundary setting:

www.psychcentral.com/lib/10-way-to-build-and-preserve-better-boundaries

 

Last updated Thu, Sep 21, 2017