BEFORE WORK.
A Boundaries Check-In.
Are you putting yourself last before your workday has even started?
You snooze your alarm because you’re exhausted. Eventually you drag yourself out of bed, realise you’re running late, rush to get ready and race out the door.
Breakfast? Maybe later.
Water bottle? Still sitting on the kitchen bench.
And before you’ve even officially started work, you’re checking an email or responding to that “quick” message because you saw it pop up on your phone.
Sound familiar?
As helping professionals, we know we habitually put ourselves last. Let’s not even try to deny it.
But your boundaries don’t begin when your workday starts. They begin much earlier than that.
I know, because I used to start my days exactly like this.
There was a time when I would continuously snooze my alarm because I was so exhausted, then leave home in a rush without eating breakfast.
And apparently I thought grabbing a chocolate bar from the office vending machine counted as breakfast.
Spoiler: it didn’t.
I was working in demanding roles in the helping professions, doing complex work and spending my days thinking about what other people needed from me, while some of my own most basic needs weren't even making the list.
The first change I made wasn't some huge life overhaul.
I changed how I started my mornings.
I started making time for breakfast before work. When I had a long commute, I would sometimes arrive early and eat breakfast in my car before going inside. That became my little protected space before the workday began.
Because I realised something important: arriving at work early didn't mean I had to become available early.
Over time, those small changes became part of much bigger boundaries around my time, physical health, mental health and how I wanted work to fit into my life.
And that is exactly why I created this.
This isn't a complicated morning routine and I'm certainly not asking you to wake up at 5 am and develop twelve new habits before work.
It's a simple, practical one-page checklist to help you think about a few things before your workday begins:
Have I eaten breakfast?
Where is my water bottle?
What's happening with lunch?
How am I feeling today?
Am I protecting my actual starting time?
Am I starting work before I'm actually meant to start?
Am I committed to taking my breaks?
Am I remembering that my workday needs an end?
These are small things. But small boundaries practiced consistently can change the way you start your day.
Meeting your own needs before you begin your workday matters.
How you start your day can affect how you feel and how you respond to pressure and stress at work, and in your personal life too.
You spend enough of your day thinking about what everybody else needs.
Start your workday with your needs already on the list, not as an afterthought.
About Jazmin.
“You don’t need to start the workday already putting yourself last” -Jazmin Pursell.
I'm Jazmin Pursell, a qualified social worker, supervisor, consultant and educator, and the founder of Jazmin Pursell Consulting.
I've spent much of my career working in complex helping-profession environments, including government, child protection, disability and other human services settings. I've experienced firsthand how easily putting everyone else first can become part of the culture of the work.
These days, I support helping professionals and leaders to strengthen their boundaries, reflective practice and the way they approach demanding work, without pretending the realities of the sector don't exist.
Because doing work that matters shouldn't require you to continually put yourself last.
What Other Helping Professionals Are Saying:
“My supervision sessions with Jazmin have been nothing short of amazing! She is incredibly supportive and knowledgeable… particularly helpful for new social workers”
“Professional, warm and friendly. Perfect safe space to share and learn with other professionals”
“I attended a reflective practice session with Jazmin and found it extremely beneficial… It gave me insight and reassurance that I’m doing the best I can do and I’m not the only one going through certain challenges”
“Working with Jazmin has been a great experience… I have felt supported to grow within my role through supervision”
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