Even if you love your work, you can get overwhelmed if it gets out of control. Many of my executive coaching clients set boundaries to help them be more effective in their professional and personal lives. Boundaries are the lines we draw that help define our roles and interactions. Here are some tips for setting boundaries in order to manage overwhelm:
1. Are you your own worst enemy? Reflect on these questions:
• Do you take on things to be liked?
• Are you a perfectionist?
• Is taking on a challenge stimulating?
• Do you not know how to say no?
• Are you competitive?
All of these things can influence you to take on too much. Be clear about what is important to you and then set boundaries to stay in alignment.
2. Know what is expected of you. Be sure to clarify with your manager what the priorities are, timelines and how you will be measured. Is it expected that you work overtime and on weekends – or is this a self imposed expectation?
3. Stop mental job creep. Even if you don’t bring work home physically, you may tend to become preoccupied with work situations during your personal life. Here is a tip – use your travel home time to decompress work issues. Then create mental boundary to not let work walk into the door with you.
4. Don’t say “yes” right away. Make a boundary to give yourself time to decide. Then you can evaluate how something new will or will not fit.
5. Know how to negotiate. If your work culture will not accept “no” for answer, try to counter offer a request. Here are some negotiating ideas to help you keep your boundaries intact:
• defer the start until you finish other priorities
• download parts to others
• delay or dump something that is currently on your plate
How do you manage overwhelm using boundaries?
Pam Solberg-Tapper MHSA, PCC – I spark entrepreneurial business leaders to set strategy, take action, and get results. How can I help you? Contact me at Pam@CoachForSuccess.com ~ Linkedin ~ 218-340-3330.
Chuck Appleby of Appleby & Associates is a leadership and organization development consultant with over 30 years of management, consulting, and coaching experience. 
Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting, LLC, has decades of experience providing group coaching and Action Learning around the world.
Pam Solberg-Tapper is a highly experienced Professional Certified Coach. Her company, Coach for Success, designs, implements and coaches in a variety of leadership and executive programs.