Three of my favorite strategies; Redefining the ‘Open Door’ Policy: Instead of being “always available,” I establish specific “office hours” for drop-ins or non-urgent discussions—creating focused time for both myself and team. Boundary Setting as a Team Activity: I find it helpful to hold casual meetings where everyone can share their preferred work styles and communication preferences. It’s especially important to revisit these boundaries regularly, as needs often shift during busy seasons, personal challenges, or major projects. Modeling and Normalizing Boundaries: I occasionally share my own boundaries with the team to lead by example and normalize these behaviors. For instance, I might say, I’ll be offline this weekend to recharge.

When you are overwhelmed with tasks from your team, it is a sign that clear boundaries need to be set. Start by communicating openly, let your team know what you can (realistically) handle and where your limits are. It is okay to say “I can’t take this on right now but here is what I can do instead.” Try prioritizing tasks, delegating once possible and do not feel guilty about protecting your time. Setting boundaries is not about saying no to your team, it is about saying yes to your well-being so you can show up at your best.

Overwhelm comes with unmanaged tasks mostly not by load, sharing this from experience. Few things that I use myself - Write tasks for the day a night before - Priority should be set using Effort vs Result - Make communication clear ahead of time and raise red flags with stakeholders - Have your 'Me time' breaks of 5-10 mins periodically

When I feel overwhelmed, I take a pause & try to heal my breathing pattern through different breathing techniques. I prioritize open communication with my peers. I start by assessing my workload and identifying what's urgent and what can wait. Then, I share my capacity honestly and delegate tasks where possible. Setting clear boundaries—like dedicated focus hours and avoiding after-hours work—helps me stay productive without stretching myself too thin. Saying ‘no’ when needed isn’t about refusal; it’s about ensuring quality and avoiding burnout in the long run.

That's my take on this! To avoid burnout, delegate tasks based on your team's strengths and align expectations with your values of well-being and quality service. Create time for self-reflection, focusing on deep connections rather than rushing through tasks. Be transparent about your limits, ensuring balance between productivity and personal care for long-term success.

Confident and clear communication is key to prevent stress in the long run. That includes with your ownself. Clearly recognize your goals and responsibilities and ask for clarity surrounding these and the performance metrics for which you will be assessed at. Then keeping these in mind, clearly create and communicate your boundaries. Remember boundaries are not requests. Articulate them as such. Boundaries are critical for stress management.