Lesson Learned: Creating Boundaries is An Important Thing!

For years, I live in a lack of good time management. Staying up late for assignments, working until morning, hours and hours I spend my time in front of my computer. My family, especially my mom, don’t really like my habit actually. But I always say “This is my homework, mom! This is my work, mom!”. And finally I realized that this is really taking my time so much. I also don’t like when people or my clients send emails on late night or maybe weekend or sometimes when group assignments need to be submitted hurriedly on Sunday, I feel like I don’t have a break-time for myself or my family. And I feel like I check my social media too many times.

A time that I should spend with my family, my dog, my boyfriend ended up with mail checking, assignments, and working. My boyfriend sometimes sick of hearing me that I'm in front of my computer every time he asks me what I'm doing. Have you ever felt like this before? It’s my life and I should be the one who control my time, not my works control mine. And after reading an inspiring article on LaraCasey’s blog about making things happen I realize that I don’t have boundaries. Yes, boundaries.

Creating boundaries for ourselves is really important for us and our surroundings. My lecturer said to me that students these days don’t have decency on sending emails or maybe phone calls to their lecturers. Also, lecturers don’t like emails without subject and note. And I think it's time for me to create my boundaries and respect other people’s boundaries.

According to Lara Casey’s creating boundaries, this is what we should do to get your life back:

Office Hours

If  you have your own business, it could be graphic design company, online shop, you should tell to the clients or customers that you are available for specific time clearly. So you will receive less emails on the weekend. And more time for yourself and your family.

Phone Boundaries
This is important for you if you don’t like receiving phone calls when you sleep or whenever you feel like ‘Don’t bother me’. Create office hours and stick to them. According to Lara, this will make you more focus and productive.

Email Boundaries
If you don’t like many incoming emails on time when you’re not feeling to read them. Set your email to offline on particular time.

Respect Other People's Boundaries
Respecting other people’s boundaries will give a better relationship. This one is very clear. If you want to be respected, respect others too.

Social Media Boundaries
Don’t waste your time by checking all social media. The problem isn't the social media, but yourself. Limit yourself.

Schedule Boundaries
Create your schedule, your office hours and STICK TO THEM. When you work on your office hours, it will make you more productive. You’ll work harder during your office hours.

Make sure your boundaries and expectations for clients are CLEAR in your brand.
This one say that your boundaries should be CLEAR. As clear as you can. You can say it on your Facebook, Instagram, or maybe on your FAQs.