Why are boundaries important?

(All information in this article is from personal experience and should not be taken as professional advice. Student Life have a range of resources available to you on this topic. These are evidence-based resources that include tips from practitioners with students in mind. Find more information here)

University life is full of new experiences, people, and opportunities, but with all that change can come a lot of pressure. Between managing your studies, flatmates, friendships, work, and your well-being, it’s easy to feel pulled in every direction.

That’s why setting boundaries is essential. It’s not about shutting people out; it’s about creating a healthy balance in your life and relationships, one built on mutual respect and understanding.

Why Boundaries Matter

When you don’t set personal boundaries, you might find yourself feeling:

• Overwhelmed with responsibilities that shouldn’t fall on you
• Emotionally drained and constantly stressed
• Pressured to say "yes" even when you don’t want to
• Like you have no time or space for yourself

Does this sound familiar? Then it’s time to take back control of your time, energy, and emotional space.

Setting Personal Boundaries

• Learn to say "no" – do not be afraid of appearing rude if you say no, do not be afraid to prioritize your own needs, your time, energy, mental and physical wellbeing equally matter! You yourself need time to heal and grow.
• Schedule some time for yourself – Alone time = self-care.
• Set social limits – If you need space, communicate it with your friends and loved ones, expectations go both ways, just as they expect you to respect their needs, your needs must be respected too.
• Discuss expectations – especially with flatmates - to avoid tension moving forward, it needn't be an awkward conversation so long as both parties are respected and understood.

Setting Professional boundaries

• Separate work and personal time – this helps to avoid burnout!

• Be clear about workload limits – It's okay to say, I can’t take on more whether it is work discussions or workload after work hours.

• Respect working hours – Just because you're a student doesn’t mean you're always available, you are the master of your own time, you are entitled to choose how to spend it.

 Struggling to Set Boundaries with Loved Ones? Here’s Help!

We often forget that we as individuals have our own problems especially whilst hearing our loved ones struggle, however it is important that we give ourselves time as well to heal and grow from our own issues to progress in our lives.

If setting boundaries with loved ones feels hard, try this:

• Use "I" statements – "I need some time alone to recharge" feels better than "You're too demanding."
• Be kind but firm – Setting boundaries isn’t selfish; it’s self-care, you wont be able to work/ study or even care for the people you love if your own mental and physical health is compromised .
• Practice small – Start by setting minor limits before tackling bigger ones.
• Explain why it’s important – Help them understand your needs and never feel that their needs or issues outweigh yours, just as they expect you to understand them, it's okay for you to have that expectation too.

If you would like find out more information on looking after your own wellbeing then make sure to visit the Student Intranet to find a wealth of resources to help you manage your emotional, mental and physical health. If you’re not sure where to start, email studentconnect@cardiff.ac.uk and they can refer you to the service that is right for you.