Boundaries in Project Management

Ever feel like boundaries are for everyone else, but not possible for you?

As project managers we often feel like we have to:

➡ Drop everything to attend a last minute meeting.

➡ Respond to all messages from everyone, immediately.

➡ Put up with bad behavior in the name of “showing empathy.”

➡ Have perfect attendance so we don’t miss anything important (I’m looking at all of the project managers who have dialed into meetings while on vacation.)

The struggle is real.

❓ So what is your best bet for being an on point project manager AND maintaining your self-respect?

It’s simple --

💡 Set clear expectations at the front end of the project.

This looks like:

✅ Being clear about when you are available.
✅ Being clear about how you can be contacted. 
✅ Being clear about your expected response times.
✅ Documenting the above in your project’s communication plan.

PRO TIP: Discuss the above with your manager before the project begins to make sure you are on the same page.

How do you create and enforce boundaries?