Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a wave of “quiet” workplace trends: quiet quitting, quiet firing, quiet promotions, and even quiet thriving. We’ve explored them all here at JMA. Now comes a new counterpoint: “loud living” – a term coined by Alli Kushner in her recent Fast Company article, where she encourages professionals to openly and unapologetically set boundaries that prioritize well-being. This was a personal shift at first – having children was the catalyst that made Kushner realize her time was no longer hers to give away.
It’s a powerful idea. And a necessary one. But loud living sounds a lot easier than it actually is.
Boundary-Setting Sounds Bold – But Feels Hard
In my work as an executive coach, I hear this all the time: “I know I need better boundaries. I just don’t know where to start.” That’s because setting boundaries isn’t as simple as blocking off your calendar or vowing to leave the office at 5pm. It’s a deeper, more uncomfortable process of unlearning habits, reframing guilt, and shifting your mindset in a culture that often glorifies overwork.
Yes, it’s empowering to decide you won’t check email after 7pm or that Friday afternoons are reserved for deep work so you can relax over the weekend. But what happens when you feel the pressure to explain yourself? Or when your company doesn’t respect – or even recognize – your boundaries?
One client of mine, a mid-level leader at a global tech firm, recently received a serious health diagnosis. She knew she needed rest, but taking time off triggered waves of guilt. “What if my team thinks I’m slacking?” she asked. We worked together to reframe her thinking: that saying no to one thing (overextending) was really a way of saying yes to something else (her health). Over time, with written reminders on her desk (those Post-it notes really do work!) and intentional calendar practices, she began to internalize this truth. But it didn’t happen overnight. It was a process of drawing the line, redrawing it, and learning to stand by it.
Loud Living Requires a Shift in Culture
Let’s be honest: many workplaces still reward visibility, responsiveness, and self-sacrifice. In cultures where balance and transparency aren’t modeled or valued, loud living can feel risky.
Take another client, an ambitious marketing director. She didn’t have kids or major health challenges, just a growing awareness that burnout was quietly stealing her energy and creativity. She wanted to reclaim time for herself, but with three direct bosses, communicating her boundaries felt nearly impossible. We strategized incremental changes: clear email windows, protected blocks for deep work, and candid conversations with her leaders. She didn’t broadcast her plans with a megaphone, but she did begin to live more audibly – asserting her needs, modeling balance, and taking up space with intention.
It Starts With Self-Inquiry
So how do you begin to live louder, especially in environments where it might not feel safe or easy? It starts by getting radically honest with yourself. Not performatively loud, but intentionally clear.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
- What are my non-negotiables – personally and professionally?
- What times of day do I feel most focused, creative, or drained?
- What would I regret missing each week?
- Where am I currently overextending and what is it costing me?
- What’s one small change I can make this week to protect my energy?
You don’t need a dramatic life change to justify living loudly. It doesn’t take a new baby, a diagnosis, or a breakdown. It starts with awareness and the courage to act on it.
Transparency Is a Tool, Not a Threat
One idea from Kushner’s article that stuck with me was the concept of calendar transparency – labeling non-work activities so teammates know you’re unavailable, even if you’re doing something personal. It’s a liberating concept, but for many, it’s also terrifying.
If that feels like too big a leap, start smaller. Block your calendar with “unavailable” or “focus time.” Then, when you’re ready, have a transparent conversation with your manager or team:
“I’ve noticed I do my best work when I protect time for deep focus. I’m experimenting with a new schedule to support that, and I’ll communicate clearly so it doesn’t impact collaboration.”
The key is being proactive, not reactive. Loud living doesn’t mean being loud for the sake of it. It means having the courage to advocate for what makes you more present, more effective, and more fulfilled.
The ROI of Loud Living
When we say yes to boundaries, we’re saying yes to focus, clarity, health, and sustainable performance. And that benefits everyone: teams, leaders, and organizations.
As I’ve written in my past blogs on the “quiet” trends, these cultural trends reveal something deeper: a desire for work that works for us, not against us. Loud living is simply the latest – and perhaps most overt – expression of that desire.
Ready to Try It?
If you’re feeling the nudge to live louder, start with clarity. Define your non-negotiables. Get honest about your limits. Test one small boundary. And if you’re in a workplace that doesn’t honor those values? That’s data too, and maybe a sign it’s time to seek alignment elsewhere.
Because living loudly isn’t just about making noise. It’s about making meaning – on your terms. As I always remind my clients, success does not demand sacrifice!