#WFH: How Do You Set Up Relationship Boundaries?
Boundaries are so important that the founding fathers established the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution to address the issue. They thought that happiness could not be achieved without “The right of the people to be
secure…with their persons…houses…papers and effects…shall not be violated.” Some people will lump physical boundaries and space, but physical boundaries really are your things and stuff, too. This can mean your online space and computer space as well. This is a topic of hot controversy and about to get hotter. Globally, we are experiencing “Big Data.” We download and sign on to apps and, in many cases, give away a lot of our physical boundaries without even knowing it. Under the illusion of “free” use, we have given technologies access to our personal lives. Physical boundaries are important because they delineate our sense of privacy.
These boundaries let you know when your privacy is being violated. By working at home in your pajamas, you are in some ways already breaking old boundaries. Pajamas were for sleeping and privacy. Home was for family and friends; now it is an office. You don’t want people going through your purse or hacking your website either because that is a violation of your physical boundaries. Whether it is your desk drawers, your email or your body, physical boundaries are both personal and private “things” that belong to you. If you are feeling violated, exposed or watched, you might want to think about setting some physical boundaries.
You need to set up some relationship boundaries to maintain healthy relationships. Healthy relationships allow you to function freely and with positive self-regard. Both virtual and face-to- face relationships are healthier if the boundaries provide clarity. To establish boundaries, you must be clear about what you want and what you don’t want. Fear is one of the biggest influences on relationship boundaries. If you are concerned about being popular, liked, loved or just a people pleaser, you might want to think about setting some relationship boundaries.
