Boundaries…. dun dun dun… one of the biggest struggles of any small business owner. Our business and personal lives are so intertwined and it’s hard to put boundaries in place, especially if some of your clients become your friends in the process. Don’t ever forget that you are the boss and by following the advice I’m about to share, you’ll ensure your sanity and happiness! In this episode, you’ll learn how to set boundaries and why it’s important using tips that I’m still actively implementing today.
The Good, the Bad & the Woo-Woo
The Good & The Bad: If you tuned in to last week’s episode, you know I was feeling so overwhelmed!
So I took intentional time to rest last week by doing things I love: I went to bed earlier, tried a sweaty hot yoga class at a new studio, went ice skating one afternoon with my boyfriend, and went out to breakfast another day. When you find yourself energetically blocking opportunities, clients, freedom, and happiness, it’s all going to be a mess! Think about the small things you can make space in your day to focus on.
Another thing that made a big difference for me in combating overwhelm was leaning on someone else. We can’t do this entrepreneurial journey alone and the walls in our go-to coffee shop are not going to talk back! Make sure you have entrepreneurial friends you can enjoy this journey with.
The Woo-Woo: What I’m about to share has gotten way out of hand (and it’s freaking delicious!). It’s also what has been getting me to wake up in the morning, so if you’ve been craving a 5/5:30am wakeup, keep reading! I drink Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee with a scoop of Primal Kitchen Vanilla Collagen Fuel and Bulletproof XCT oil, which helps with brain focus and energy.
Another woo-woo thing I want to share came up for me when my coach asked us if there was something we wanted to reward ourselves with if we hit our 2020 goals… well mine is an infrared sauna!
What reward do you want to give yourself if you achieve your biggest 2020 goals?
Let’s Dig In:
Boundaries were completely foreign to me when I started my business. I used to be the queen of overcommitment. I was the business owner who was constantly unhappy because I never set boundaries.
Over these last two and a half years of owning a business, I’ve had to get on a steep learning curve with boundaries and it’s something I’m still actively working on.
Bottom line: I love my clients. We vibe so well together and I feel like an extension of their team. I recognize when I set strong boundaries, I produce better results for them.
You’re Not An Employee – You’re the Boss!
You never want to feel trapped in your business or worse, burnt out and frustrated. This is why you created a business, right? For freedom and flexibility and to do work that you love! You are not an employee! You have to draw a line in the sand and convey to your client how you work and when you’re going to work.
Set Your Office Operating Hours
You should have pre-planned hours you intend to be working on and in your business. These boundaries are for your sanity and yourself. Have an actual space you go to every single day. My office hours are 10:00am – 5:00pm every day.
I know it might be tempting to stray from the hours you set, but stick to it. If you know you’re going to be traveling or out of town, communicate with your clients. I’ll send a monthly policy update to clients to keep them in the loop and let them know the best way to stay in touch.
I also highly recommend an online calendaring system like Dubsado, Accuity, or Calendly to pre-determine what dates you’re available for calls.
Set the Best Way to Communicate With You
You may have clients that live all over – on the west coast, on the east coast, and internationally. I highly recommend not allowing your clients to text you. Set the boundaries from the get-go by including them on your contract and include your office hours. If you are craving that extra communication, invite them to WhatsApp or Voxer and use that as a communication tool, and let them know how often you check it.
Create Themed Days
I love this tip and it can be super valuable for compartmentalizing your day. Mondays and Wednesdays are my client days, Tuesdays I use to strategically grow my business, and Thursdays I work heavily on marketing, content creation, podcasts, and IGTV. Fridays are a catchall day and I typically work until 1 or 2pm.
If you find yourself taking calls every day of the week, change that right now. Same with logging in to your Facebook Group. Is there a specific day of the week you can log in and answer questions?
Know Exactly What You’re Working On
On the days I choose to focus on my business, I know exactly what I’m working on. Some days, it’s invoices, trying to get press, community growth, networking, other days it’s content creation, IGTV, Instagram Posts. Know the boundaries of what days are for what tasks and stick to it.
Links/Resources I mentioned:
Primal Kitchen Vanilla Collagen
Join the Behind the Design Facebook Group, where I teach free live mini trainings every Friday.
We have a couple of spots open for Spring 2020 clients! Are you ready to make an impact and illuminate your purpose with a beautiful brand design or an all-inclusive, custom website? Grab one of my final branding spots for March and April. Or send me a DM!
Use Code DESIGN15 for 15% Off Drag and Drop Website Templates
February 21, 2020
