The Importance of Setting Boundaries for School Leaders

Data from the RAND Corporation's 2023 State of the American Teacher survey shows that educator wellbeing has improved slightly since the COVID-19 pandemic, but job-related stress is still a serious issue for 58% of all school staff. Due to the lasting impact of the pandemic, our work and home lives became entwined like never before. A long-term consequence of this may be that some crucial boundaries have become blurred. While the latest State of the American Teacher survey doesn't have specific information about educator attitudes towards work and personal boundaries, it contains data which suggests that school leaders may benefit from setting clearer, healthier boundaries.

Workplace boundaries and school leaders

Creating and maintaining healthy workplace boundaries is important for all school staff. Teacher wellbeing may decline if staff feel unable to set boundaries or if those they set aren't respected. This can heighten stress levels, hinder performance, and lead to feelings of resentment. The benefits of setting clear boundaries include:

• Gaining clarity about what is and isn't required of you
• Increased performance and better quality work
• Protecting yourself against potential exploitation
• Wider respect for each other's boundaries
• More respectful relationships between colleagues
• More satisfactory relationships with managers and leaders
• Better workload and time management
• Helping to avoid your job from feeling all-consuming
• Helping in maintaining autonomy and retaining your sense of self
• Aiding in sustaining a healthy separation between your professional and personal life
• Keeping stress at bay, helping to avoid burnout
• Teachers and support staff may benefit from improved relationships with pupils
• Boosting overall wellbeing

Types of boundaries for school leaders

Leadership Boundaries

Leadership boundaries concern how you manage yourself, your team and your school. Examples include:

• Scheduling time to focus on your own tasks without interruptions unless absolutely necessary.
• Establishing clear boundaries about what is and isn't considered acceptable conduct between all school staff.

Physical boundaries

Physical boundaries are concerned with respecting physical space. Examples include:

• Reducing interactions with colleagues who have a negative impact on you.
• Keeping work such as marking out of your bedroom and personal living areas.

Workload boundaries

Consulting your employment contract can guide you when defining your workload boundaries. Examples of this type of boundary are:

• Only agreeing to tasks that are within your professional skills and abilities.
• Limiting additional responsibilities that will impede your contractual duties.

Time boundaries

Enforcing time boundaries has the potential to reduce stress and increase personal satisfaction. Examples of time boundaries include:

• Setting clear times when you're not prepared to read and respond to work communication.
• Limiting the time you'll spend listening to non-work related talk.

Communication boundaries

Communication boundaries can encompass methods of communication, frequency, topics, and who you interact with. Examples include:

• Requesting that communication regarding certain topics be put in writing.
• Making it clear that conversations around particular topics are off-limits.

Common misconceptions about enforcing workplace boundaries

"Staff will think I'm not working hard."

Enforcing workplace boundaries is a key leadership skill — it demonstrates that you take your responsibilities seriously. When done well, it can actually enhance your productivity.

"I'm a leader so I'm expected to always be available."

Being available is unquestionably important, but having boundaries doesn't diminish your commitment to being a leader — in many cases, it enables you to be more effective.

"People will think I don't care or I'm not a team player."

Setting and sticking to boundaries is a sign of professionalism, which has the potential to benefit everyone. 

"Having boundaries will limit my progression."

Establishing healthy boundaries can actually help you improve your performance and workplace relationships.

"My coworkers will resent me for enforcing boundaries."

It may take a while for some colleagues to adjust, but it may also inspire them to consider their own boundaries.

"I should just accept whatever comes my way — I get long holidays."

You deserve to have your needs respected while you're at work, regardless of how much time off you get.

"Setting boundaries isn't my thing."

While some boundaries are defined by the school and others, they are not likely to cover all the nuances of your job. That is why asserting your own boundaries is so important.

The importance of setting boundaries for education leaders

Maintaining effective boundaries is essential for all leaders, and the close-knit nature of the school community doesn't make it any less pertinent for those in the educational sector. In fact, it becomes even more crucial. From the personal to the communal, setting boundaries can improve your school leader work-life balance, foster better teams, and enhance wellbeing throughout the school community.

A recent survey of education leaders in the UK illuminates some of the issues administrators and other school leaders have expressed as top concerns. Here are some current issues from the Wellbeing Index and how boundaries may be able to help:

84% of senior leaders described themselves as stressed.

Many people feel compelled to help and leaders, in particular, may feel the need to respond immediately and be available at all times. Having clear boundaries and abiding by them may reduce the mental effort of deciding between conflicting demands on your time.

83% of senior leaders who thought of leaving the education sector stated the volume of their workload as the main reason.

Establishing clear boundaries and abiding by them can increase your school staff's understanding of their roles. Setting time boundaries can also facilitate more effective use of time and better workload management.

61% of senior leaders felt compelled to always come to work when unwell.

Whether it comes from within ourselves or from outside parties, the pressure to work when you're not feeling 100% can be damaging in the long run. Implementing boundaries can cement the importance of self-care and promote workplace wellbeing.

58% of senior leaders experienced insomnia or difficulty sleeping.

Setting time boundaries around your working hours while at work and when working from home can be particularly relevant here. Boundaries can help you achieve the much-needed separation between your professional and personal life. This can help avoid the feeling that you're always on the clock and may enable you to get a better night's sleep. 

Senior leaders experienced the highest levels of irritability or mood swings.

A lack of boundaries, misplaced boundaries, and having your boundaries overstepped can all lead to negative feelings such as irritability. Setting unambiguous boundaries provides clarity for those you manage and leaves little room for excuses when they're not respected.

88% of teachers and education staff felt they had a negative team culture.

While some resistance to newly enforced boundaries is common, once they become part of the workplace culture they actually can help alleviate negativity. Working with respect for each other’s boundaries can help to create a team culture that's more positive and productive.

Fundamental principles of workplace boundaries

It's sometimes difficult to make the leap between thinking about setting boundaries and actually doing it. Understanding the following fundamental principles can help you stay on track when setting and enforcing boundaries in your workplace.

Boundaries are about respect

Boundaries may seem to be about restrictions, but they're really about respect. Upholding our own boundaries and respecting the boundaries of others can help to facilitate better understanding, trust, and respect. Within workplaces such as schools, boundaries can result in healthier work environments where everyone feels more secure.

Setting boundaries is sensible, not selfish

Enforcing boundaries is by no means selfish. Rather, it's a sensible way of looking after your wellbeing and can be mutually beneficial for other school staff. Without the anxiety that arises from not having clear and enforceable boundaries, you can be more a productive colleague.

Sometimes, boundaries need to be flexible

As you progress in your career, you'll need to add, adjust, and possibly remove certain boundaries. Your existing boundaries aren't set in stone. There may be times when it's not possible or desirable to uphold a hard boundary. Viewing the boundaries you set as flexible is a healthy way of approaching them.

How to set boundaries for school leaders

Here's a step-by-step guide to setting and enforcing boundaries:

1. Clearly define your boundaries

Some boundaries are obvious and applicable to most education staff. However, many boundaries are reliant on a specific person and position. Identifying areas and situations that cause stress or discomfort can help you set your boundaries. Consider what differences would improve the problem areas you identify.

2. Write them down

Listing your boundaries can help you to see them as tangible guidelines rather than abstract concepts. When you begin to implement your boundaries, it can be useful to use your list to gauge your progress. Having a written list also makes it easier to refer to and revise your boundaries when necessary.

3. Communicate your boundaries

Communicating your boundaries is a crucial part of enforcing them. You don't have to make a formal announcement or inform anyone in a particular way. Instead, you might add your contactable hours on your email signature or tell a colleague that you've drawn a line on certain conversations.

4. Implement them

This is the all-important step. Enforcing your boundaries means upholding them consistently. Doing things such as setting reminders of when to go home or stopping grading when you're working from home can assist in implementing time boundaries. There are also likely to be occasions when people will try to push or ignore your boundaries. Being consistent with your boundaries helps others become accustomed to them, which will benefit you in the long run.

5. Encourage your team to enforce their own boundaries

Motivating your team to set their own boundaries can help gain support for your own and show that you value their wellbeing. Encouraging respect and value for each other's individual boundaries can result in stronger teams and an improved workplace atmosphere. Some of the more tangible benefits can include improved staff performance, better student outcomes, and reduced staff turnover.

Tips for setting boundaries

Here are some tips for setting and maintaining boundaries as a leader:

• Be consistent: Remaining consistent really is key when implementing new boundaries as a school leader. Of course, there will be circumstances that call for some flexibility, but on the whole, consistency in upholding your boundaries is essential for them to be respected.
• Rehearse having to enforce your boundaries: It can be helpful to run through scenarios in which you have to reinforce your boundaries and write down what you would say. Practicing in this way can make it easier when it comes to reinforcing your boundaries in real life, especially on occasions where you're caught off guard.
• Delegate where possible: Knowing when to delegate and being able to do it effectively is conducive to managing boundaries. The potential impact of delegating on your workload is a clear advantage, but it can also help maintain boundaries such as those regarding time and the limits of your role.
• Make your availability clear: Ensure that the staff you supervise are aware of your availability. Ways to do this on an ongoing basis include utilizing automatic responses and displaying a timetable of when you are available for various tasks.
• Know your responsibilities and rights: Understanding exactly what your job entails is beneficial when you're asked to take on additional tasks or responsibilities. Knowing your rights is also important for establishing effective workplace boundaries.
• Lose your fear of saying 'No': Being asked to do something that infringes on your boundaries can put you in an uncomfortable position. Knowing how to say ‘No’ in such a situation enables you to protect and uphold your boundaries without feeling guilty.

Like most leadership skills, the ability to set and uphold boundaries — and bend them when necessary — is something that can be learned and improved. It may take a while to become comfortable with enforcing new boundaries, and for others to adjust to following them, but the long-term benefits are well worth it. Ultimately, setting boundaries promotes healthier ways of working which can be beneficial for the entire school community.

 

Establishing healthy boundaries is just one of many things you can do to improve your workplace wellbeing. The team at Welbee have created dedicated resources for supporting education staff wellbeing. You'll find many of them in the freely available Welbee Toolkit — you sign up for a free account and immediate access here.