Set Smart Boundaries
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Every Thursday, I share one action, habit, or project you may want to undertake in order to improve your health, happiness, and sense of well-being.
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PROJECT OF THE WEEK
Setting Smart Boundaries
Last week we discussed the importance of reviewing our schedule. The benefit to assessing your schedule and your time is that you have a clear picture of how you plan on using that time, how much time is open, and you can clearly see where your priorities are on the calendar.
This week we are going to discuss boundaries.
Setting clear boundaries is key to both achieving your priorities and living by your values.
This is one area that I know I have made a lot of progress and I also know I have a long way to go!
Boundaries in relation to your time:
Setting boundaries around your time is critical. While there are times that we have no control over our schedule shifting, the majority of the time, when we do not follow through on a priority that we planned for, it is because we prioritized someone else’s request over our own priority.
There is a saying that I love: "Your lack of planning is not my emergency."
Women, especially, feel the need to please and help others, often dropping everything and fixing the problem right away because that feels like the right decision.
This is where boundaries come in.
Getting Started
I recommend taking a few minutes to think about your why and what's really important to you. Keeping this front and center, when you are asked multiple times a day to jump in and switch your day around to support others, will help you know when saying yes makes sense and when saying no is the right decision.
Another saying that I love is: "With every yes, you are saying no to something else."
Boundaries in relation to your values:
It's equally important to prioritize boundaries around your values.
How do you expect others to treat and value you?
How do you define your relationships with your friends and family?
When we don't have clear boundaries around our values, we are likely investing a lot of energy and time into living someone else's priorities.
Are there people in your life who do not treat you with the respect and kindness you deserve?
What impact does this have on your well-being and achieving what really matters to you?
We would love to hear how you set smart boundaries, while being kind and respectful!
Ready to Get Started?
If you feel excited about implementing this strategy and want some additional accountability and support to get started, the It’s All in the Planning Starter Pak was designed for you!
A Note from Happy Spaces
The goal is to add value to your life. If you think this project will add value:
Estimate how long you think it will take. I would recommend doubling the time you estimate.
Look at your calendar over the next week and pick a date and time to get started.
Make an appointment on your calendar for the estimated time.
If you estimate that completing this project will take longer than one hour, I recommend doing it over multiple days. This will support you in getting started!
Prior to starting this project, take a few minutes to make a step-by-step list of EVERY action you need to take to complete this project.
It's not all or nothing. You can choose to implement only the parts of this project that add value to your life.
An Accountability Partner can be a great support in following through on your goals and commitments.
We understand how challenging it can be to implement new habits and systems. For additional support please go to HappySpacesBySarah.com.
Creating a life you don't need a vacation from! ®
Sincerely,
Sarah Weingarten
Meet Sarah
Growing up as the oldest of nine siblings in Upstate New York, I learned to use organization to create sanity among the chaos. Today, I work together with individuals, families, and small businesses to create habits, systems, and spaces that support their needs, goals, and dreams. Clients often refer to our work together as "life-changing" and "better than decades of therapy". What I love most about my work is the lasting impact it has on real people's lives. Nothing makes me happier than hearing the many success stories of clients I have worked with.