How to Set Healthy Boundaries When Starting a New Job

Reflect on what underlies your desire to prove yourself. Many of your motivations are probably positive, such as having passion for the job or wanting to show you’re hardworking and conscientious. But it’s also likely that certain fears are driving you to self-sabotage. Unhelpful beliefs typically start with phrases like:

• I should…
• I must…
• I have to…

Naming your fears reduces the hold they have over you and empowers you to reframe beliefs around your self-worth and your work.

Self-management — an emotional intelligence skill associated with regulating your time and energy — is an essential leadership skill that accounts for up to 90% of career success. Setting boundaries proves you have self-awareness and possess strong time management, prioritization, and communication skills.

Setting boundaries when starting a new job means you not only display important leadership capabilities but also allow you to teach people how to treat you. In other words, your behaviour signals to others what is acceptable or unacceptable.

Think about the physical, mental, and emotional boundaries you need to be at your best. That may include defining:

• What time you will start and end work.
• Response times for emails and messages.
• Calendar blocks for focused work or “no meeting” time.
• The frequency and duration of breaks during the day.
• Resource or training requirements needed to do your job.
• The type of work you enjoy doing the most and what you have the bandwidth for.

Be proactive about communicating your boundaries with your manager and team.

Your first few weeks and months on a job undoubtedly contribute to your reputation. It’s important to go above and beyond, but to do so selectively and strategically.

You want to make sure you’re devoting energy to the highest impact areas. Suss out your boss’ goals and expectations and then align your efforts with those top priorities so you can provide value.

Likewise, focus on recruiting your bench of advocates and supporters.

A new job offers a new beginning and a chance to reset. In psychology, this is known as the fresh start effect, or the tendency to take action toward a goal after a special milestone, occasion, or key date has passed. Use this time period to your advantage and put bad habits behind you.

Holding yourself accountable to your boundaries is key. Perhaps you schedule a check-in with yourself once a week to assess your progress, or maybe you create a tracker to log your achievements.