In one of my previous jobs, I worked as a supervisor to a team of 3. It was incredibly rewarding, and also came with some new challenges.
One of those challenges hit me square in the face one day when I took a half-day off from work.
A supervisee texted me a question, and I begrudgingly responded. I thought, this person needs to know this answer, so I should help them out, even though I'm technically off the clock (and even though there's upper management who's available to support in my absence).
And then they texted me again with a follow-up question. I again responded, this time even more irritated.
I felt increasingly resentful as the conversation went on. They know I'm not working right now, why do they keep texting me?!
And then it hit me.
I chose to respond. It wasn't the other person's responsibility to mind-read and decide that they shouldn't keep engaging me.
It's my responsibility to know my boundaries and to maintain them in the ways that feel supportive.
And if I wanted my time off to look like actual time away from the job, then I could have chosen to not respond to the initial message.
The way in which we're expected to always be "on" and available is pervasive in our world now.
Especially with smartphones, so many of us not only have texts and calls coming through all the time, but also email and social media notifications. And it's become commonplace for employers to expect that their employees respond to emails at any time of day.
And so it can definitely take extra effort to remember that just because we can be available doesn't mean we have to be or need to be.
It's ok to set boundaries.
It's ok to turn off notifications.
It's ok to wait to respond until a time that you'll feel ready and not resentful.
Your time is sacred. And knowing and honoring your needs is essential to your embodied wellness.
So over these next few days, challenge yourself to observe where you might be able to set firmer boundaries for yourself.
When do you need to turn off notifications (or, my favorite unplugging strategy, turning the phone on airplane mode)?
Where might you need to have a conversation with your boss about time expectations?
When do you notice yourself responding to a text or email and then feeling irritable or resentful?
And how does it feel to honor your time and needs with more intentionality?
Are you always "on"?