You may wonder how setting boundaries will help improve your 2024 year.
Think of boundaries as an invisible fence that protects you and has a gate that you control. Everyone has boundaries but not everyone has the same boundaries. You want your boundaries to work for you rather than inhibiting you.
Setting boundaries puts you in control of your space and time.
Boundaries and space
Your home is your special space and your refuge. Think of your home as a container. Set boundaries so that everything in that container has a place. The cabinets and shelves hold your items so that things do not overflow onto countertops or the floor. Your closets and your drawers are your containers for clothes. By setting boundaries on how much you bring into your house, you manage to keep your house a welcoming place to come home to.
Everyone needs to have a space that is their own. I have an office that I can retreat to for work or just me time. In the past, I have had clients set off space for meditation and reflection. Your home may also be a shared space that you set boundaries for. Shared spaces should not be taken over by just one person. Everyone who uses that shared space should feel comfortable and safe.
Boundaries help you control your time.
Time can never be regained. It is up to us to decide how to use it. When you’re thinking about boundaries as they relate to time, ask yourself the following questions:
- How much time do we want to devote to social media or other electronics?
- How much time do we want to devote to our work?
- How many hours do we spend taking care of our home and other personal items that we maintain? How much time do we want to give to volunteer work or helping others?
- How much time do we want to spend on taking care of ourselves?
Having a plan in place to set those boundaries keeps us from mindlessly spending those precious hours.
When you set financial boundaries, you save money.
Knowing what your financial limits are for spending will prevent impulse shopping. You use your money to buy things that support your vision for the future. Boundaries help you decide how much you can spend on gifts and how much to donate to charities you want to support. We want to be generous but not to the point of putting us in an uncomfortable financial situation.
Setting boundaries is a form of self-care.
You show respect for yourself by standing firm on the boundaries that you have in place. Having boundaries and letting others know what they are will head off possible conflicts and future resentment. Letting others know your boundaries is especially true if you are changing those boundaries or setting some for the first time.
Take some time now and reflect on the boundaries you want to have in place for the new year. Write them in a journal and refer to them often until they become a part of who you are.
Happy New Year!
If you are ready to make your home a refuge or would like to tame your calendar, join Diane Quintana and me in our Clear Space For You clutter support group. The group will offer ideas, support, and gentle accountability for working on developing plans or projects.
Jonda S. Beattie, Professional Organizer owner of Time Space Organization, and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize. She is based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, award-winning author, as well as a retired special education teacher she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients.
I was watching a relationship expert talking about setting boundaries. It was really interesting, because he was describing what a good boundary truly was. It’s not a request you make of others, but a limit you set, with very clear associated behaviors when the boundaries are violated.
I think this is helpful to remember when setting boundaries in any aspect of our lives. It is a “deciding in advance,” and it has concrete benefits!
Ahhh. Boundaries. This is such an important topic and a great way to begin the New Year! I love how you encouraged boundaries in different areas but also how you said that setting boundaries is a form of self-care. It’s also a form of self-respect. And what better way to begin 2024 than evaluating boundaries that could use some tweaking?
This is something I didn’t grow up understanding. It’s taken me well into my adult life to know how to establish boundaries and recognize their essential value. While I’m much better than I used to be, I still work at it.
It’s funny how everyone hates the idea of “limits” as too confining, but “boundaries” are so much more empowering. It’s like, the world imposes limits, but we can set our boundaries! Whether we’re talking space or time, having boundaries gives us safe margins so we can be confident in our expectations and approach. I love that you note the role boundary-setting (and maintaining) has in self-care.
Setting boundaries is important, finding each individual’s space will keep you focused and in the zone.
Usually when I think about setting boundaries, I think of boundaries with other people, for example, don’t call me after a certain time. It makes sense that I can also benefit from setting boundaries for myself.
I know in my younger years, boundaries were pretty much non-existent. I’m learning more and more that boundaries are not only necessary but ease my anxiety and help me to live a life that I love. Making sure that our homes are a reflection of this is so important. Thank you for your article!