Have the courage to set boundaries that help you cherish your personal life and the work you do with more enjoyment, says Joan Burge
The year is 2007. Steve Jobs, a pioneer of our modern tech world, is unveiling the iPhone on stage. The rest is history, and Apple is now legendary. Jobs, along with other tech giants like Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and now OpenAI’s Sam Altman, have not only changed tech but changed the way we do life. What Steve didn’t mention, though, at that pivotal moment in 2007, was that with these changes in tech advancements would be the growing problem of blurred work boundaries.
Our modern world is in the age of blurred boundaries. Work seems like it never really ends in hybrid and remote roles, along with endless app notifications buzzing in our ears. What was meant to make life easier may actually be creating more stress.
I’ve talked quite a lot about boundaries in my career, but never in this capacity. That’s why I am excited to discuss with you all the importance of professional boundaries amidst AI, remote work, and social media in our roles as modern administrative professionals. My hope is that by the end of this article, you will have gained the tools you need to reclaim less stress in your life and have the courage to set boundaries that help you cherish your personal life and the work you do with more enjoyment.
Understanding Boundaries in Different Work Roles
In my office, we have a small yet growing, hard-working team. I have a mix of work styles among my employees, from part-time to full-time, fully remote, contract, hybrid, and in-office full-time. I say this because not only has it allowed me to experience the nuances of working with team members in these different roles, but it has also given me a first-hand seat into the good and bad of tech with work boundaries.
One thing I advise Assistants when I am hired to coach them is that you need to set expectations right from the beginning. If you respond to work emails off the clock, your executive is going to expect you to do so moving forward. Maintain the boundary by setting a precedent for when you reply to work emails, or any form of work communication. To give yourself peace of mind, don’t sign into your work accounts on personal devices, or keep work and personal devices separate if you can. If you can’t, sign out and only log in to check at designated times when you are on the clock.
Another reason that setting expectations and creating clear boundaries matters is simply for ethical considerations. Your executive and team members are relying on you for many things. However, expectations can often be unrealistic; you are probably amazing at your job, but you are not superhuman! Set clear working expectations, including when it is okay to reach out, the preferred communication channels, when they are appropriate to use, and emergency protocols for when you are not working. That way, when there are emergencies, your team knows how to get ahold of you and when it is okay to do so. You have the power to influence the workplace you desire, so don’t lose your voice in that.
Often, the pitfall here is communication. As simple as it sounds, and it’s something I just talked about in my Monday Motivators newsletter, we need to get back to the basics. Practice good communication with your executives and outline the boundary so there is no confusion (and fewer headaches) down the road.
Social Media and Workplace Boundaries
There are a few items I would like to address when it comes to social media. First of all, because of social media, the image you put out on these platforms is, for better or worse, your brand. Like it or not, someone is always forming a perception of you and assigning you a brand. While we may not be able to control other people’s thoughts, wouldn’t you want to influence their perception of you?
Dressing for the job you want, not the job you have, takes on a whole new meaning in the world of social media. Take some time and designate the social media presence you want to create for yourself. I don’t recommend overwhelming yourself with too many platforms, but if you had to pick one, focus on LinkedIn. Then, treat it like your online digital portfolio. Put the same time and energy into crafting your presence here that you would into your resume.
Here’s a question I encounter a lot: Should I or should I not accept follow requests from executives and other colleagues? That one can be tough. My professional recommendation is that it is okay on LinkedIn. Further, ensure any accomplishments or achievements that you share in a post maintain corporate ethics; never share any proprietary or company information. When it comes to more personal accounts, if they are private, I would recommend granting access only to friends and family. For public accounts, make sure they maintain the professionalism of your LinkedIn account.
In these ways, you can practice boundaries with social media. Control the image you want on your public accounts, and leave personal accounts that you don’t want to be seen private. You don’t need to be on every social media platform, but do your best to learn how to present yourself and protect yourself.
AI and the Ethics of Boundaries
First of all, when it comes to boundaries with AI, you need to respect whatever company policies are put in place. There are teams I have worked with that simply cannot access specific tools because they don’t meet their company’s security requirements. Does that mean that you shouldn’t learn AI? Certainly not! There are likely other tools that will be approved, so learn to be proficient in them. Then, for major ones that are relevant to your career that you can’t access at work, continue to learn them on your own time and personal devices. You will likely need them at a future company or for any future work you do. It’s crucial to stay competitive and ahead of trends.
The beauty of AI is that, when used strategically, it can increase our output exponentially. The downside is that (A) it can create an unrealistic expectation, and (B) it can give way to sloppy, lazy writing. Boundaries can help here. Make sure your work expectations are clear and educate yourself on the limitations of AI. Then, take that knowledge back to your leadership and demonstrate to them what realistic work expectations are when using it. Here is where you can also emphasize that you shouldn’t use AI to replace your thinking with your leaders. Tell them that it takes time to use AI as a tool to improve work output so that work quality can be maintained.
There is a lot to say on this topic that I can’t completely expand on here, but I will end with this. Please do not think of AI as a tool to replace your thoughts. Good prompting and good calendaring take a strategic, thoughtful approach. To use AI to its full capacity, you need to think of it as your assistant or your coach, not a replacement for your thinking. Trust me; people can tell when your content has been written by AI and when you haven’t thought it through. Don’t be that person.
Actionable Strategies for Setting Boundaries
Ironically, the same tech that could be blurring lines can also be used to our benefit. Set your out-of-office, block your calendar, and turn off unnecessary notifications from apps you don’t need to access on your personal time. Outline all of the expectations with your executives and other colleagues to make sure there is no confusion.
It’s bound to happen; at one point or another, boundaries will be crossed. When they are, politely reinforce them. This is where ChatGPT can be your friend. Write your email and then paste it into the AI tool with this prompt: “How can I communicate this message in a polite yet firm way that maintains the boundary of [insert boundary] I set with my colleague?”
Ultimately, if you don’t build a culture of respect, you will end up resenting your job. I don’t want to see you get to that point. Therefore, think of boundaries as safeguards, rather than barriers, to help you thrive in your career.
Final Thoughts
Our modern world has added many nuances and technicalities to creating boundaries. However, we can reclaim peace by clearing up any confusion. Setting limitations is not to avoid work but to enhance our own professional performance, as well as our well-being.
You need to be intentional. Look at where you are struggling and where your biggest pain points are. Don’t let these slide; create an action plan now so you can prevent the problem from growing. Have the courage to have the necessary conversations, with respect, to make sure there is no confusion. This will help alleviate stress and enable you to thrive.
As we continue to chart our path in an ever-changing tech world, the administrative profession is bound to continue to evolve. Don’t be caught by surprise; be armed and ready with an action plan that includes boundaries to protect yourself amidst this turbulent climate.
