You Can Redraw Work Boundaries This Year

Have we forgotten how to say no?

Our boundaries have been scrambled by two years of working through a crisis, often from the same place we do everything else. Managers know we’re home. Employees want to prove themselves in a world without face time. There’s a new, unspoken contract between bosses and workers: You can work where you want, but the flexibility comes at a personal cost. You’re always on.

“The employer feels like, you’re lucky enough to be at home. You’re kind of at my beck and call,” says Ellen Ernst Kossek, a management professor at Purdue University who studies work-life boundaries, and their dissolution.

I’ve heard about it from both sides. A funeral-home manager in Georgia was surprised when his team confronted him about his frequent Saturday night text messages about sales quotas. A pharmaceutical company employee back in her Boston office was cornered in the kitchen by a colleague demanding to know why she hadn’t responded to his email yet. It was 8:30 a.m. He’d sent it at 6:30 a.m.

Returning to the office doesn’t appear to have reset the equilibrium for some people. In a way, it can be the worst of both worlds: You lost the freedom of logging on from home, but you still have the back-to-back Zooms and lunchtime meetings.

“You’ve learned to work a way that was kind of crazy,” Dr. Kossek says.

Restoring some of the walls between our jobs and our lives requires pushing back, graciously and smartly. Dr. Kossek suggests setting a timer to go off at 10 minutes before the hour to signal to your videoconference compatriots that it’s time for you to move on to something else, whether it’s cooking dinner or writing a report.

Consider whether you and a colleague can pair up and cover each other in meetings if family responsibilities, like a daycare closure or a kid’s soccer game, creep into the workday, Dr. Kossek says. And talk to your team about how fast you’re expected to respond to internal and client emails. Is the pace reasonable? If not, prep with co-workers on what better expectations would look like and broach the topic with your manager together.

“If you’re the only one, you’re going to get stigmatized,” Dr. Kossek says.

There are risks. Say no too often and you’ll miss out on big projects, alienate your colleagues or even jeopardize your career. And yet, saying yes and then missing a deadline can be just as detrimental, says Karen Shafrir Vladeck, a partner at an Austin, Texas, law firm.

Learn to read your boss and understand when something is really an emergency that necessitates cancelling your plans, or not, she says. (Of course, to some bosses, everything is an emergency.)

And perfect the art of saying no without it sounding like a no. “I’m so slammed right now, I’ll be available on Monday,” or “I’m so busy, but I know Jennifer has time to help,” Ms. Vladeck suggests. “There’s nothing worse than someone just saying no and then walking away and leaving it,” she says.

A few years ago, Christina Heath, a single parent in Lutz, Fla., started feeling burned out. Her work as a project manager felt like it was taking over her life, and also seemed oddly robotic and drained of humanity. So she started speaking up. She told her boss that she couldn’t juggle more than four projects at a time without the quality slipping. Instead of tackling after-hours emails, she’d respond that she’d get to them in the morning.

“It doesn’t feel good. It’s actually really scary,” she says of setting boundaries. But eventually it became liberating. After about six months, her colleagues stopped sending the late emails. Her project load got lighter. Yet everyone remained happy with her work, she says.

The key is to be respectful but resolute. No one will believe your boundaries if you don’t seem confident in them yourself, she says.

How to figure out where the lines should be? Max Yoder, chief executive of Lessonly, an Indianapolis company that provides employee-training software, sorts everything from business lunches to time with his daughter into five categories. The buckets range from “I’m committed,” to “I’m trying” to “I don’t care.”

“It’s a way for me to take two competing things and saying, which one do I care about more?” he says. He recently passed on a trip to San Diego for a company board meeting—Zooming in instead—so he could spend time with his parents and friends visiting from out of town. Before the pandemic, he was more likely to give priority to work over life.

“I don’t want to be that anymore,” he says.

Of course, it’s easier to say no and deal with the consequences when you’re more senior and have more job security. If you’re nervous you might lose out on would-be clients or irritate your boss, remember that boundaries can come with some wiggle room, says Elizabeth Knox, principal of MatchPace, a Washington, D.C.-based organizational-effectiveness firm. Check your calendar: 85% of the time, you should be sticking to your limits, like not taking calls after 6 p.m. The remainder, you compromise.

Some people are finding their pandemic habits are hard to break. Communications executive Carrie Schum spent 250 more hours on client work—an extra third—from April 2020 to April 2021, as compared with the year prior. Without her commute and evening gym routine, she found it hard to log off. Even when she returned to her D.C. office twice a week last spring, she still found herself hunkering down with writing projects and flipping through email after hours.

She tried leaving her phone in her home office starting at 6 p.m. (Self-grade on that experiment: C+.) She tried banishing her phone from the bedroom at night. (Her husband bought her a clock to use as an alarm instead; she went months without plugging it in.)

One thing finally brought some relief: She joined two soccer leagues, which have 7 p.m. games that last a few hours. Playing requires being fully present, and has helped break the hold that being on around the clock had on her.

“You start to figure it out,” she says. “That’s just not life.”

Looking to build, or renovate, a home in 2024? You’re not alone. According to a recent study from Resolve Finance, over a third of Australian homeowners are planning to renovate their current properties in the next 12 months. And if the Federal Government achieves its ambitious goal of delivering 1.2 million new dwellings over the next five years, there will be many new home owners looking to build their dream home in 2024 and beyond.

But before tackling such a behemoth task, considering all the latest—and future—architectural trends is pivotal in your new build’s success. Award-winning architect and interior designer, Georgina Wilson said sustainability will be at the forefront for many interested in energy efficiency and saving money on power bills.

“Elements of passive design are moving into the mainstream. Improvements in the technology with double glazing, building wrapping and insulation are meaning that more people have access to these materials,” Ms Wilson said. “Solar has proven itself and homeowners are now looking for other ways to make their home more efficient.”

The following eight trends reflect a growing emphasis on sustainability, flexibility, and wellbeing in residential architecture, catering to the evolving needs and preferences of homeowners in 2024.

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1). Consider your colour palette

The colours you use say everything about the type of spaces you want to foster, whether they be bright and warm, dark and moody, neutral — the list goes on. If we’re looking to trends, earthy, calming neutrals are in — think brown, beige and eucalyptus green. Colours that feel natural and soft, but welcoming provide an inviting environment that’s easy to live with.

However, interior designer and stylist, Jono Fleming said contrast is important to create interest and one of the most powerful ways to do this is through colour.

“It doesn’t have to be a big splash of colour, it could be introduced through smaller decorative objects, a statement furniture piece or an artwork, but the colour should add balance to the space,” he said.

2). Modern, outdoor living areas

Ever since the COVID pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, expanding living spaces to the outdoors has gained in popularity. Features like plant-filled front porches, outdoor kitchens, fire pits, and cosy seating areas create inviting spaces for relaxation and entertainment for all family members.

“There has definitely been a greater appreciation for outdoor living spaces since COVID,” said Ms Wilson. “Outdoor fabrics and mechanisms for shading have greatly improved in recent years allowing people to fully embrace seamless indoor/outdoor living.”

3). The integration of smart technology

Integrating smart home technology throughout your home continues to gain traction with homeowners. As we increasingly look to rely on technology to make our lives all the more seamless, smart technology throughout allows homeowners to control a variety of tasks and zones remotely, enhancing convenience, security, and even energy efficiency. This can include controlled heating and cooling from your phone, automatic lightning, voice control commands, and more.

“The technology for seamless appliances has come a long way. At Salone del Mobile Milano this year, we experienced the new Gaggenau fully integrated induction bench top, which in terms of kitchen design, is a huge advancement,” said Ms Wilson.

Gaggenau, the German manufacturer of high-end home appliances, is at the forefront of smart home technology, paving the way for intelligent cooking appliances that learn and adapt to user preferences. Gaggenau’s essential induction cooktop, the functional and seamless cooking surface Ms Wilson speaks of (pictured below), is designed to be “seamlessly integrated into a kitchen’s worktop”.

4). Health and wellness features

Prioritising health and wellness in 2024 is paramount, and home design that can include features like air purification systems, dedicated exercise spaces, recovering hubs—like saunas and ice baths—and relaxation areas to support physical and mental wellbeing will go a long way in not only adding value to your home, but providing a space that is architecturally on-trend and with the times.

“I’m seeing a lot of demand for in-built saunas, both traditional and infrared, particularly in the homes of our US clients,” said Ms Wilson.

“Bathroom suppliers such as Kohler, Duravit and Toto are offering increasingly sophisticated products that incorporate an almost spa-like experience in your at home bathroom. Examples of this are fantastic multi-nozzle showers and steam showers, Japanese toilets incorporating bidet technology, and elegant and serene bathroom furniture that can be fully customised for clients.”

5). Sustainability is key

A common goal among homeowners and future buyers alike is to own a property that is flexible enough grow with them. Futureproofing your home with sustainable measures will not only ensure its longevity, but it will help homeowners to play their part in addressing their carbon footprint.

“The current cost of living crisis is leading to a lot more multigenerational living, meaning families are prioritising durable materials and sustainable power sources, like solar,” said Ms Wilson.

Consider adding solar panels to your home, utilising sustainable materials in any upcoming renovations or builds, like recycled timber, and utilising energy-efficient lighting throughout your home.

6). Minimalist design

Do as the Scandinavians do – introduce minimalist design into your home. Embrace simplicity and clean lines with a focus on interior design. Decluttering in main living spaces is surprisingly effective. Adopting the approach of ‘Swedish Death Cleaning’, which essentially involves slowly ridding your house of unwanted or unused items once you reach the other side of 50, will also help you whittle your possessions down to the beautiful and the necessary.

Minimalist design in home appliances is also making a resurgence in 2024 according to Ms Wilson.

“What I’ve been interested to see at Salone del Mobile Milano in 2024 is a huge return to stainless steel finishes, and more and more seamless integration of appliances,” said Ms Wilson.

“We’re seeing timeless materials in reimagined applications: copper baths and stainless steel basins are emerging trends with the potential to be timeless. These materials are so practical, and pair beautifully with natural stone and timbers.”

Above all, maximising different spaces through efficient and effective storage options will also do wonders in achieving that minimal aesthetic.

7). Multifunctional spaces

As we move towards greater efficiency of space, it’s useful to consider multifunctional spaces throughout your home. In 2024, we are seeing more homes incorporate multifunctional spaces and trends. This includes using multifunctional furniture in main bedrooms or living spaces—furniture that can act as storage ottomans or convertible sofa beds—as well as transforming wasted space, and open up indoor to outdoor living.

“Multifunctional spaces in homes are a great idea. Particularly in small homes, it makes a lot of sense to achieve maximum value out of the limited space available. The way you use a space can change as your family evolves over time, so it’s always good to design in such a way that allows for flexibility,” said Ms Wilson.

“Make sure that the functions you allocate to a single room are compatible with the space available and each other. For example, it works really well to combine a living room, a dining room and a kitchen in one open plan space because these are all public, lively spaces. It doesn’t work very well to combine, say a study, with these spaces because you will want control over the visual and acoustic privacy in a study.”

8). Think about biophilic design

A buzz word among architects and interior designers, biophilic design is one of the strongest trends in 2024 thanks to its benefits in garnering a sense of harmony and connection between your home and the environment. Consider incorporating natural elements into home design, such as large windows to maximise natural light, indoor gardens, and natural materials like wood and stone.

“Biophilic design is a timeless principle, in that home design should connect people in a positive way with their natural environment by maximising access to, and the ability to control, natural light and ventilation, which really helps to create an enjoyable (and healthier) environment to live in,” said Ms Wilson.

“Increasingly, there is a demand for this positive relationship to the natural environment; by leaning on the principles of biophilic design, you can create a haven and retreat at home that can help with the daily stresses of life.”

Ways to foster that indoor-outdoor connection can be through the addition of smaller internal courtyard spaces filled with greenery, or incorporating indoor plants and adding greenery into different rooms throughout your home.

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You Can Redraw Work Boundaries This Year—and Make Them Stick

The workday ballooned during the pandemic—but it’s possible to push back without jeopardising your career.

Futureproof your home and maximise your return with design directions that focus on contemporary ways of living