How to set boundaries and live the life you want

To accomplish the bold goals we have planned, we need to guard our time and resources. One of the topics that I have been reflecting on recently is that I have been a little lax with the boundaries that I set, especially around my time. After completing my goals review for the first quarter of this year, I realized that I need to make some changes. At the start of the year, I had identified the need to limit my work hours. However, as the year progressed, I was still overworking. It is something I really want to change in the coming months. The insights gathered have led me to reevaluate the boundaries I need to set to accomplish my goals.
 
In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of setting boundaries and the areas where we need them.
 
Why is it important to set boundaries
There are multiple benefits of setting boundaries and guarding things we care about, including:

• It is your way of choosing yourself and making your well-being a priority
• It helps people around you get clarity on how to best engage with you
• It saves your resources such as your time, money for the things that actually matter 

 
How can we set boundaries and thrive
The first step to setting boundaries is thinking about different areas of your life where you want to make changes and evaluating what boundaries you would like to set. One of my guiding thoughts around boundaries is that I will do everything I can to free up my mind and resources to focus on things that will help me accomplish my goals.
 
Set boundaries with your family and friends
The people we love are more likely than others to overstep boundaries that we set. I am a strong believer that we need to tell people how we want to be treated in order to have healthy relationships. Setting boundaries with family and friends is one of the most challenging things, as we typically want to avoid hurting their feelings. It is crucial to see setting boundaries as a commitment to take good care of yourself.
 
Questions to consider

• Are there aspects of your relationships that are making you feel pressure?
• What boundaries do you want to set with your family and friends?

 
Set boundaries at work
Especially since we spend so much time at work, it is essential to set boundaries there. The pandemic caused many lines between our work and lives to become very blurry. It takes a lot of intentional action to set the boundaries that we need to avoid overworking.
 
Questions to consider

• How is work encroaching on time you want to spend doing other things?
• How can you set boundaries at work?

 
Set boundaries around your finances 
To accomplish your financial goals, you will need to be intentional and disciplined about how you spend your money. I had seen my finances grow the most when I focused on saving and making wise investments. It is essential to say no to spending my money on things that don't help me build wealth. Sometimes it involves me saying no to people, which is uncomfortable. I remind myself of what I am working on accomplishing in my finances in those situations.
 
Questions to consider

• What types of boundaries do you want to set around your finances?
• How are you going to set boundaries around your finances?

 
Final Thoughts
It is very easy to let go of your boundaries. However, the effect on our well-being and growth is very significant. Setting and maintaining your boundaries is an excellent commitment to yourself.
 
Time to Reflect

• What are three boundaries that you want to put in place or reactivate?
• How will you check to ensure that you uphold the boundaries you set?
• How will you hold yourself accountable to guard your most valuable asset?