Learning how to set boundaries can be difficult. Whether it’s with relationships with friends or family, or while you’re on the job as a professional domestic employee, setting boundaries is useful and important to long-term success.
As part of the domestic staff in the home, you know how important communication is between you, the rest of the staff, and your employer. But learning how to advocate for yourself, while also respecting the boundaries of the home and/or your employer, is equally as important.
Here are some ways you can set healthy boundaries on the job.
Setting Healthy Boundaries
Learn how to say ‘no’.
Whether you’re a nanny, a private chef, a house manager or housekeeper, you know that domestic roles require hard work and dedication. Domestic employees can experience burnout if they don’t take care of themselves. If you find yourself saying ‘yes’ to longer hours, late nights, or more weekend work than you originally anticipated, reevaluate this schedule.
If you continue at a pace where you push your body too hard, burnout is truly inevitable – no matter how much passion you have for your job or the family you work with. So, don’t feel bad about prioritizing yourself and drawing boundaries for your own physical, mental, and emotional health.
Communicate openly.
Keeping the lines of communication open between you and your employer is key to avoiding burnout and ensuring both of you are aligned on goals and expectations. Whether it’s during performance reviews, weekly or monthly check ins, or at various times when you and your employer connect, bring up anything that’s important to you.
Doing so shows that you are invested in building trust and open communication, and that you’re willing to find solutions if needed. Of course, if a question or concern pops up and waiting till a regularly scheduled meeting time to discuss it won’t work, don’t hesitate to ask your employer to have a special meeting.
This will create an opportunity to address and resolve any issues that may become problematic later.
Create a work agreement and stick to it.
Upon hire, you and your household employer should draft a written work agreement. This will outline your role – responsibilities, expectations, wages and payment schedule, benefits, and any other key information related to your unique position in the home.
A work agreement sets boundaries from the very get go. If your employer wants to add duties to your position, be sure to refer to the work agreement. Suggest that you work on revisions to it together and then figure out if salary adjustments or changes to your hours are needed.
Create electronic boundaries, too.
In a world where being connected digitally at all hours of the day is considered ‘normal’, it’s important to set boundaries on when and how to communicate electronically. For example, let your employer know that you won’t reply to phone calls, emails, or texts outside of work hours or past a specific time of day/night.
Having time away from work – both in person and digitally – is part of prioritizing self-care. Taking breaks or taking time away to relax and enjoy people or things that are important to you will make you a healthier and stronger employee in the long run.
Remember that boundaries are a two-way street.
Just as you expect your employer to maintain boundaries, remember that they also have some. Respect your employer’s privacy and personal space.
Don’t be afraid to reinforce boundaries.
It can feel awkward and sometimes difficult to reinforce boundaries. But once they are established, it’s okay to be firm and consistent. If a boundary is crossed or if there is a violation of anything, bring it to their attention right away.
Only you can decide what your boundaries are and it’s up to you to communicate what they are. Setting boundaries is in everyone’s best interest!
