The Work Boundaries I Had to Set After My Bipolar Diagnosis

When I returned to work after my bipolar disorder diagnosis, I had to completely change how I worked. These are the boundaries that helped me protect my mental health — and actually made me more effective.

After being hospitalized for a manic episode and receiving a bipolar disorder diagnosis, I was faced with a hard question: could I return to the career I loved without sacrificing my mental health?

In this video, I share the specific boundaries I had to set when I returned to work — including:

-Why I stopped working at night
-Why I don’t check email first thing in the morning
-How eliminating multitasking changed everything
-Why sleep became non-negotiable
-How alarms and routines help me stay regulated

These aren’t just “self-care tips.” They were boundaries my treatment team encouraged me to set — and they helped me become more focused, more balanced, and more successful at work.

Whether you live with bipolar disorder, ADHD, or you’re simply feeling burned out and unbalanced at work, I hope this helps you rethink how you use your time and energy.

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00:00 My Bipolar Diagnosis & Returning to Work
00:58 Why My Job Lifestyle Was a Risk Factor
01:33 The First Boundary: No Working at Night
02:28 Morning Routines That Changed Everything
03:00 Why I Stopped Multitasking in Meetings
05:18 The Surprising Benefits of Single-Tasking
06:12 Using Alarms to Reduce Stress & Time Blindness
07:26 Why Sleep Became Non-Negotiable
09:58 How These Changes Made Me More Effective
11:35 Final Thoughts on Work, Balance & Mental Health