Work is one of the fundamental elements in adult life. Being comfortable with the job in the sense of feeling motivated and able to carry out the tasks that have been assigned is not always easy. The daily routine of a worker can be very stressful, which can cause health problems, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Setting limits is the first step to ensure a good work environment.

Currently, an estimated two million people die each year as a result of occupational accidents and work-related illnesses or injuries. Additionally, 8% of the global burden of disease from depression is currently attributed to occupational risks.

These data, collected by the International Labour Organization and the WHO, only reflect the injuries and illnesses that occur in formally registered workplaces. In many countries, most workers are employed informally in factories and businesses where there are no records of work-related injuries or illnesses, let alone any programmes to prevent injuries or illnesses.

The importance of drawing the line

It is common for the employee to be afraid that they will be fired or that their co-workers will not like them, so they will end up assuming more load than they can really handle. This is solved by setting limits, communicating them and being consistent with the decisions.

In today's world, we live in a work culture that rejects the fact that a worker sets their limits since it can be seen as someone who does not want to work or does not care what he does. This is a complete lie.

The Spanish psychologist expert in relationships, Nedra Glober, says that work environments have a high possibility of becoming toxic environments because long hours are worked, overtime is not paid, gossip between colleagues, etc. and that more and more people come to his office for help because they are overwhelmed by work. For this, it is recommended to set limits as follows:

• Identify where boundaries need to be set, question what makes you work overtime or be online all the time.

• You should not let problems go by, you should find a solution.

•  When communicating with a superior or a colleague, use the first person singular as this way they will feel less attacked.

• Overcome the fear to perfection since it is normal to make mistakes and in fact you learn more from them.