Set boundaries that protect your performance and well-being

Setting boundaries isn’t just for seasoned professionals, it’s essential for everyone, from interns to full-time employees. Being constantly available, overworked, or stretched thin shouldn’t be the norm. You can be a hard-working, valuable team member and still have limits. Your time, energy, and well-being are a limited resource, it’s not just okay to protect them, it’s necessary. By setting and maintaining healthy boundaries early, you’re preparing for a more balanced, successful, and sustainable career.

Defining and communicating boundaries

Start by identifying what’s most important to you in maintaining balance. Ask yourself: What are my non-negotiables? What do you need to feel balanced and productive? Some areas to consider:

• Time: What are your workplace’s expectations about working beyond your expected weekly hours? Working outside your regular work may happen sometimes, but it should not be the norm.
• Workload: Be clear about what you can realistically manage.
• Technology: Stop checking work messages outside of work hours. You don’t need to be available 24/7 unless that is a specific expectation in your job description. If it is, consider what the trade off has been for you to be willing to be available outside of your regular work hours.
• Mental space: Keep work stress out of your personal time.

Once you’ve identified your limits within the expectations of your role, communicate those limits early and clearly. Let your supervisor and coworkers know your availability and capacity.

Saying yes thoughtfully (and no when needed)

When you say yes to an ask, be sure you’ve thought about whether you can manage that task with your other responsibilities. Sometimes you’ll need to say no, but saying no at work doesn’t have to be confrontational. It’s a skill, and like any skill, it gets easier with practice. You want to be respectful but also clearly communicate what you can and cannot do. Here are some examples of how to say no:

• “I’d love to help, but I have prior commitments I need to honor.”
• “I’m sorry, but I don’t have the capacity to address that this week. I should be able to help next week when I do have more capacity.”
• “I’m not available after my regular work hours, but I’ll be sure to follow up first thing tomorrow.”

Setting boundaries as an intern

Internships are not just about building your resume, they’re also the perfect time to practice professional communication, self-advocacy, and boundary setting. Start by asking clear questions during your onboarding process to understand your responsibilities, working hours, and communication expectations. If you’re asked to stay late, take on high-level responsibilities alone, or manage tasks outside your training, remember, it’s okay to speak up. Here are some ways you can address these concerns:

• On working beyond scheduled hours: “I want to be respectful of the agreed hours for this internship. I will finish this task first thing tomorrow morning during my regular hours.”
• On receiving a task outside your role or experience: “This seems like a great learning opportunity, but I want to make sure I’m completing it correctly. Is there someone who can guide me through it and review my work?”
• On handling a heavy workload: “I’m excited to contribute, but I’m currently managing a few other projects. Can we discuss how to prioritize these tasks or if anything can be reassigned?”
• On needing time for class or campus obligations: “I have a class obligation during that time. Is there another time I could address this?”

When something at work isn’t right

There are workplaces that are fine, healthy, even highly supportive, but there are also those that aren’t a good fit for your priorities and the boundaries you’ve set to protect your well-being. Sometimes your boundaries will be challenged, and this can be addressed and resolved in an amicable way, but other times your boundaries may be tested time and again. It’s just as important to manage your boundaries being tested well as it is to set boundaries in the first place. Here’s how to navigate when facing difficulties at work.

When your boundaries are challenged

Despite your best efforts, boundaries will at times be tested. Common signs of boundary crossings include:

• Being assigned tasks far beyond your role (especially as an intern)
• Consistently working late without compensation or acknowledgment
• Feeling pressure to be “on” or available 24/7
• Fear of retaliation if you were to say no or otherwise set boundaries

Here’s what you can do when your boundaries are crossed:

• Communicate early: Address the concern with your supervisor using respectful, clear language.
• Stay consistent: Stick to your limits and repeat them when needed. Remember that if you are repeatedly not sticking to your boundaries, you are teaching your employer that they do not need to respect your boundaries.
• Seek support: If challenges persist, reach out to HR, a trusted mentor, or a UT career coach for support in how to navigate the situation.

Know when to start looking elsewhere

If your boundaries are being tested over and over, and especially if this is done in a disrespectful manner, it may be time to start looking elsewhere for employment. It’s okay to need to find a new role that feels like a better fit with your work and life priorities. The experience you gained is still valuable and will help inform you in a future role. You can evaluate whether there are boundaries you would rather adjust before looking for another role, but if the limits you’ve set are fair, the workplace’s expectations may just not be the right fit for you. You can maintain the course at that role while you start to keep an eye out on what else is out there.