Resources for Wellness for IL Frontline Staff: Boundaries

Here are the resources to support staff with stress reduction and self-care practices during these challenging times.

Please feel free to disseminate widely and keep an eye out for future emails.

We have been sharing these through our Wellness for IL Frontline Staff Facebook group monthly since May, but realized that many folks are not on social media so attached are the previous toolkits we have provided there.

BOUNDARIES TOOLKIT

Nature and Health Toolkit

Boundaries Toolkit

Emotional Intelligence Toolkit

Lifestyle Toolkit

Play and Wellness toolkit

Relaxation Response Toolkit

Self-Compassion Toolkit

Social Connection Toolkit

Healthy Boundaries in Relationships

"Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others."-Brene' Brown.

What Are Boundaries?

Boundaries are guidelines, rules, or limits that a person creates to identify for themselves what are reasonable, safe, and permissible ways for other people to behave around them and how they will respond when someone steps outside those limits. (Boundaries - Out of the FOG)

Personal boundaries define where you end, and others begin and are determined by the amount of physical and emotional space you allow between yourself and others. Personal boundaries help you decide what types of communication, behavior, and interaction are acceptable.

Why is it important to set boundaries? 

  • To practice self-care and self-respect 
  • To communicate your needs in a relationship 
  • To make time and space for positive interactions 
  • To set limits in a relationship in a healthy way 

Barriers to Boundary Setting

  • Fear of rejection and abandonment 
  • Fear of confrontation
  • Guilt over setting limits
  • We were not taught healthy boundaries
  • Safety concerns

Tips for Setting Healthy Boundaries

  • Be clear, calm, firm, respectful, and as brief as possible.
  • Remind yourself that you have a right to self-care. Setting boundaries can feel awkward or wrong at first.
  • Develop a support system of people who respect your right to set boundaries.
  • Try it out: Think of a safe simple situation that you are in or will be soon that you would like to say "no" to but feel uncomfortable doing so. Plan how you could set the limit in a clear, calm, firm, respectful, and brief manner.

How to Set Healthy Boundaries: 10 Examples + PDF Worksheets (positivepsychology.com)