Boundaries When Working From Home
By Heidi Sadecky, PCC – Executive Coach & Director, Townsend Leadership Program
I don’t know about you, but my daily attire over the past couple of weeks has not matched. With all of the virtual meetings I wear business attire on the top and vacation attire on the bottom. Sometimes it’s not even a color match. This seems representative of the blur between working at home during this pandemic and attending to the needs of our family. All culminating into a lack of focused attention.
Working from home can feel very disorienting. It can be both simple and complex. Relaxing and chaotic. It’s a mix of work and family, social distancing, isolation and too much virtual connecting and texting…fun on one hand, depressing on the other. It’s normal to feel out of sorts and you don’t want to stay that way.
I’ve heard from a lot of my clients that it has been difficult to focus and getting things done now that they changed to working from home all week. It is hard. No doubt. When I made a career change going from every day in the office to working from home, I was disoriented, lacked focus and wasn’t very productive. With my coach at the time, we figured out that I needed boundaries and focus.
Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, explain in their book, Boundaries: When to say yes and when to say no to take control of your life, that we are responsible to others and for ourselves. As a professional, you’re responsible to meet your goals, solve problems, be efficient and motivate your team. At home, you’re responsible to provide and support your family, connect with those who are close to you, take care of your home and property and you’re responsible for yourself. This means getting the self-care you need and figuring out how to be focused to be productive in the professional role you have. Our brains work best when we give them the best conditions to work in.
Here’s what I’ve learned through the years of being coached and how I coach leaders today:
Create a space away from everyone else where you can have a clear and consistent thought. You want to create the conditions for your brain to think creatively, to be energized and not distracted.
Get boundaries around your day and your space. Structure your day. First, get professionally dressed and start work at the same time as you did when you went into the office. Without the commute you can do something that energizes you before your work day starts. Then have a designated lunch time to give yourself a guilt free break. Finally, end your day when you would end at the office.
Focus on one task at a time - “Our brains crave focused attention, positivity, unity and control in order to excel.” – Dr. Henry Cloud, Boundaries for Leaders: Results, Relationships and Being Ridiculously in Charge. I recommend using a daily, weekly and monthly planner system. If you don’t use one, I have found success using the Franklin Covey planning system. Focusing on my major roles and responsibilities both professionally and personally for a week helps me get things done. I feel more aligned with my goals instead of constantly feeling frustrated with failure.
Deal with the obstacles – Think about what is causing you to be distracted, frustrated or less efficient and figure out a solution. If you’re used to having two computer screens in the office and only have one at home, explore ways to solve this. If your spouse, kids, pets or laundry are distracting you every ten minutes, explore finding a solution. Don’t let the obstacles hinder your success.
In the Townsend Leadership Program, setting boundaries is one of the first things that we do. To learn more about your boundary setting ability along with other key elements of leadership, you can take the Townsend Personal and Relational Assessment Tool (T-PRAT) by going to https://tprat.drtownsend.com/ To take it for free, use the coupon code sadecky
Heidi Sadecky is a seasoned expert in guiding leaders to excel in their roles, overcome workplace obstacles, and achieve tangible outcomes. Armed with a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership, a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and certification from the International Coach Federation, Heidi is dedicated to empowering leaders to redefine their leadership trajectories and amplify their impact on the global stage.
Recognized as a sought-after corporate trainer and facilitator, Heidi possesses a diverse array of specialized coaching certifications, including Gallup StrengthsFinder, Emotional Intelligence, Conversational Intelligence, Conflict Dynamics, and Working Genius. As the sole director of the Townsend Leadership Program in the Northeast United States, she extends her expertise to group members from across the region, spanning Ohio, New York, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, and beyond. With Heidi's guidance, leaders unlock their full potential, fostering transformative change within themselves and their organizations.
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