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You must have heard the phrase “set boundaries” a no. of times! Ever wondered why your brain needs them? Don’t worry, we’ll come to it too, let’s get to what boundaries exactly are first:
Boundaries are just imaginary walls we put to separate things or to keep things of the same kind on one side and things not concerning it on the other side of the wall.
WHAT DOES NOT HAVING BOUNDARIES DO TO US?
Think of a box full of miscellaneous items and you need to find a pin from all of that junk. Now think of entering a room and knowing the exact section of the shelf the pins must be in. In which situation would the pin be easier to find? It’s clear, isn’t it? Our brain works in the same way, when we mix things up it gets difficult to keep pace with one thing, and separating one thing from another gets a tedious and stressful task.
According to the Australian Psychological Association, 50-58% of us suffer from high stress. Short-term stress may increase our dopamine and get the work done quickly, but when it persists, it costs us our mental peace. We don’t want that, right? So, why don’t we set boundaries before things become overwhelming for us?
WHAT EXACTLY IS BEING STRESSED?
Think of stress as a nosy neighbor who cannot keep herself out of anyone’s business, who has to know everything but isn’t ready to listen to everything for she’s in too much of a hurry already to spread the news, she keeps the subject same but adds thing up every time to make it even spicier. While stress is not exactly like that nosy neighbor, you get my point. We have all been there when everything around us stops making sense because we are too drained by things beyond our control, haven’t we? When you’re stressed it gets difficult for you to concentrate on a single thing, you tend to think of all the things that are left to do, and mix those up making it even more complicated than it was in the first place. What can you do to avoid it? Make boundaries. And ensure that they are rigid.
WHAT IS STRESS CAPABLE OF?
Short-term stress gets your work done quickly, but what if it persists? It feeds on your peace and happiness, poking its nose in almost everything you do and even when you do nothing at all. When it stays for a long time with its branches spreading to every inch of your skin you try to find out ways to get out of it, but it’s already so deep into you even the idea of finding your way out gets distant. It may lead to depression, forgetfulness, social isolation, or any other mental health-related problems including physical ones.
HOW CAN MAKING BOUNDARIES HELP US IN DEALING WITH STRESS?
Enough of these facts frightening you all! Let’s get to the point where we stop all of that from happening. Shall we?
Multitasking is often risky and draining, so try not to bring your office work to your home, or your home to your office, keep a wall between them, don’t merge them up. It’s also important to set healthy boundaries between you and the people you come across as early as possible, so they understand the lines separating you from them and learn to respect it. Setting boundaries might seem intimidating at first, but trust me, it’s for your best. Human beings can get used to absolutely anything, you have to make sure you don’t get habitual of something that makes you miserable; when people get used to giving you orders, voicing out your opinion seems like abuse to them. Sometimes you are so deep into denial all reasons get blurred. Don’t get to that point. Set boundaries. Be vocal about your comfort zones, normalize saying NO to things you are uncomfortable with, and you, yourself get to witness the difference!
