Let’s talk about boundaries.
Most creatives and entrepreneurs face a similar set of struggles. The ones who succeed have healthy boundaries in their lives and in their business that help them protect their best resources: time, energy, and money.
Boundaries exist so that you can protect your resources. Without boundaries, you’ll feel scattered and spread thin, eventually leading you to burnout, that place where the thing that once fulfilled you now makes you overwhelmed and disgruntled. You’ll be taking client phone calls on the weekend when you should be nurturing relationships with your family. You’ll find yourself with a calendar full of commitments that won’t help you reach your goals. You will surround yourself with people who drain you instead of support you. You’ll waste energy worrying about all the things that could go wrong. You’ll be paralyzed, not knowing what move to make next.
Boundaries help you make decisions about how you work, who you hang out with, and what you do in your free time (including allowing yourself to have free time). Healthy boundaries help you determine when an opportunity will help you reach your vision of success. They help you decide when to say “yes” and when to say “no”.
Communicate your boundaries
Write them down. This is the first step that will ensure that you are crystal clear about your boundaries to yourself.
Share them out loud
To explain to you. It’s a two-way conversation and one that should be revisited quarterly because, again, as your business and life change so Share them with your tribe and your clients. Let them know what they can expect from you, ask if they have any questions, and reciprocate by asking them if they have any boundaries they’d like you to respect as well.
Actions speak louder than words
One of the best ways to communicate a boundary is to respect them with your own actions. For example, if a boundary is to focus on your hobbies or family on the weekends and to stop emailing on the weekends then DON’T SEND EMAILS ON THE WEEKEND. It sounds obvious enough but you’d be surprised at how many people set boundaries without actually respecting or practicing them themselves, and the people around you will take cues from you as to how sturdy your boundaries are. Don’t say yes to things that don’t nurture what you’re trying to build; say no to things that distract you from what you really want to be doing all day.
Make your boundaries policy.
One of the simplest ways to communicate important boundaries is to include them in
places like the signature of your email, the footer of your website, or the bio area of your SM profile.
If you’re struggling to set boundaries in your life or business, here are a few tips
Get clear on your goals. What do you want to achieve? Boundaries will help you protect the time and energy you need to reach those goals.
Identify your values. What is important to you? When you know what matters most to you, it’s easier to set boundaries around those things.
Set limits on your time. How much time do you want to spend working? Make sure you schedule in time for family, friends, and fun too.
Know your limits. What are you willing to do? What are you not willing to do? Be clear about your boundaries so that others know what to expect from you.
Outsource or delegate tasks that drain you. If there are tasks that you don’t enjoy or that take up too much of your time, outsource them or delegate them to someone else. This will free up more time for the things you love.
Setting boundaries takes practice, but it’s worth it. With healthy boundaries, you can create a life and business that you love. You can say no to the things that don’t align with your goals and yes to the things that do. You can build a supportive network of people who will help you reach your goals. You can create time for the things that matter most to you.
If you are overwhelmed and on the verge of burning out, it is time to set clear boundaries throughout your life and business.
If you need extra support, schedule a 1 hour Boundary Setting Session with Abigael for $157.00
