Relationships with my boss. Is it too close?

[Sueetties]

Hi
i haven’t been to this forum since 2018. I am back today wanting to see some posts how people are doing.

I have been working from home since when COVID started. It’s been over 1.5 years. I have lately had a strange feeling with my boss. I feel that the relationship is awkward as there isn’t a fine line between two of us. She can text me whenever what’s she’s doing and her children etc. I certainly don’t like to speak to her about my personal issues non do I like to be-friend with her. Not because she’s not nice but she’s my boss. I just want to talk about work related issues

last week I took two days off as I think depression kicked in again. I texted her in the morning that I wasn’t feeling well and I wasn’t able to work. My boss then sent me 4 lots of texts in that 2 days asking me how I felt and if I was able to get to see a doctor etc.

I admit that she’s kind of a caring person. But because we started from a colleague relationships. She was promoted to become my direct line manager about 2 years ago. The feeling has been awkward to me and I don’t know how to handle this!

I didn’t want to tell her that I want a bit of personal space. I started thinking if we are just too close! I started kind of withdrawing myself a little.

Am I thinking too much or is it a healthy normal relationships? I am an introvert person…

[Juliet_84]

Hi Suetties,

I’m sorry to hear that you are experiencing an uncomfortable situation with your boss. I agree with you that she is likely this way because you were previously colleagues and so she is trying to establish a more “friendly” vibe between yourselves, and she likely also genuinely cares. That being said, I completely get your need to separate work from home. The last thing you want when taking a few days off is to be messaged and reminded of work. I don’t think you need to confront her at this stage of discuss it with her in person, I think that you just need to keep doing what you’re doing, don’t answer the text messages and then just say in person something along the lines of “sorry I was busy doing x” and then answer the question. She’ll get the hint soon enough.