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5 Types Of Boundaries For Effective Leadership
How To Protect Your Time & Wellbeing
Howard Blackburn
August 27th, 2024
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Read Time: 4 minutes
Welcome to the Tuesday Trailblazer, my weekly newsletter delivering actionable insights from my personal experiences and 15+ years in leadership.
A huge thank you to the sponsor of this week’s Tuesday Trailblazer - The Growth School.
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Today we’ll talk:
How to establish boundaries that safeguard your time and energy.
The importance of saying "no" to protect what truly matters.
How boundaries improve work/life harmony and team dynamics
How to lead with impact by prioritising your wellbeing over being perpetually available.
You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep others warm.
Let’s talk boundaries.
For many years, boundaries referred simply to my cricket career. (mostly being hit for them 😉 ).
When in the extreme midst of my burnout and addiction to busy, the one thing I didn’t have was boundaries.
Whether it was calls, emails or even physical presence in store - there were no boundaries when it came to my time being “available” to everyone and anyone.
If you’ve ever had an “open door policy”, you’ll know exactly what I mean when I say your time becomes everyone’s time.
It took me sometime and some hard lessons but ultimately, I had to understand boundaries first before I could empower them.
Today, I want to share 5 types of boundaries with you that helped me protect my time and wellbeing and how they can help you become “valuable, not available” as leader.
Both at work and at home.
Boundaries are the invisible lines that define our personal and professional limits.
In a world where being constantly connected is the norm, boundaries aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential.
Without them, you’re at risk of burnout, distraction, and losing sight of what truly matters.
As leaders, we must protect our time and energy, not just for ourselves but for the teams we lead.
Leaders who set boundaries show their team how to behave. Without them, you risk feeling tired and losing focus.
It’s important to recognise that boundaries aren’t about being mean; they are about making sure that everyone (including you), knows and values what you need in order to be at your best.
It’s about being valuable, not available 24/7.
Both at work and more importantly at home.
When you set clear boundaries, you create the space needed to think strategically, act purposefully, and lead with impact.
Of the many struggles and challenges for leaders when it comes to setting and maintaining boundaries here’s the most common I’ve seen for leaders;
1. Fear of Confrontation: Worrying that setting boundaries might make you seem difficult or unapproachable.
2. Guilt About Saying "No": Feeling bad for prioritising your needs over others.
3. Unclear Limits: Not knowing where work ends, and home begins.
4. Inconsistency: Sometimes enforcing boundaries, other times letting them slide, leading to confusion and frustration. This leads to others not taking them seriously and in turn not respecting them.
Before we overcome, we need to understand.
Let’s dive into it.
Get the hi res PDF at the bottom of the email
5 Types Of Boundaries To Protect Your Time & Wellbeing
Work Boundaries:
Why: In today’s always-on culture, it’s crucial to create a clear separation between work and personal life.
How: Adopt Cal Newport’s “shutdown ritual”: ⬇️
Review tasks: Check off what’s done and note what’s left for tomorrow.
Clear workspace: Tidy up your desk and close unnecessary tabs.
Set tomorrow’s agenda: Outline your top priorities.
Send final communication: Wrap up any last emails and set expectations.
Activate "do not disturb": Turn off work notifications on your devices.
End with a statement: Say something like, “Workday finished,” to mentally switch off.
Digital Boundaries:
Why: The average person checks their phone 7-8 times per hour, stealing focus and time.
How: Use an app like Opal to set limits on your most distracting apps. Schedule “focus time” where you disconnect from digital distractions and reclaim your attention.
Mental Boundaries:
Why: The content you consume shapes your thoughts, which in turn shape your life.
How: Clean up your mental environment: ⬇️
Unfollow accounts: If it doesn’t add value, unfollow it.
Unsubscribe from emails: Use tools like Unroll.me to declutter your inbox.
Limit news consumption: Seriously, cut back on the news—especially on TV and social media.
Review app notifications: Turn off anything that doesn’t serve you.
Time Boundaries:
Why: Time is your most valuable asset, and saying "no" more often allows you to say "yes" to what aligns with your values and goals.
How: Use Derek Sivers’ “Hell Yeah or No” rule—if an opportunity doesn’t excite you, consider declining it. You’ll have to say “no” to some good things to make room for the great ones.
Emotional Boundaries:
Why: Setting emotional boundaries is about having the courage to love yourself, even when it means disappointing others.
How: Recognise when you’re taking on others' emotional burdens and set limits. Use phrases like:
-“I care about you, but I can’t offer support in this area at the moment.”
-“I’m not in a position to help with this right now, but I’m here to listen if you need to talk.”
Which area of your life would benefit from setting stronger boundaries??
Remember, your value as a leader isn’t measured by your availability—it's measured by the impact you make.
By setting these boundaries, you’re not just protecting your own wellbeing; you’re also setting a powerful example for your team.
Prioritise your time, protect your energy, and focus on what truly matters.
That’s how you lead with impact, not busy.
Until next week, keep blazing those trails and remember…
Be valuable, not just available.
Howard Blackburn
The “Unglorify Busy” Guy
Connect with me on Linkedin
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I have built and led teams across 3 successful businesses and have over 15 years of people and business leadership experience.
Over the past 4 years, I have grown my business working with “busy” leaders across multiple industries (retail, hospitality, construction, mining, education) and helped them simplify their leadership.
Igniting their impact in leadership and at home.
Let me share my insights and help you:
Reclaim your time
Prioritise your wellbeing
Achieve work/life harmony
Improve customer centricity
Connect & elevate team culture
Simplify your leadership beyond busy
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