Over the last few years, we’ve all become a lot more comfortable with the jargon around protecting our mental wellbeing which, in my opinion, is only a great thing.

Where boundaries once referred to geography, we’re all a lot more familiar with the idea of setting them in both our personal and professional lives. Now, as a generation of self-starters, side hustlers and service-providing professionals, we’re learning just how important boundaries can be, not only for protecting ourselves as entrepreneurs but also for helping our businesses grow and thrive.

As someone who has been setting boundaries since day 1, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that it’s always easy to stick to them — because it’s not. Sometimes the boundaries you set might feel uncomfortable or easy to ignore but the key thing to remember is that these seemingly small practices can literally transform the way you work - worth it, right?

Systems and boundaries are the cornerstones for creating a healthy work balance and a business that doesn’t burn you out. Keep reading for my top tips for setting and sticking to your business boundaries.

Know when to clock out

Wave goodbye to the 7am commuter train; when you work for yourself it’s up to you to decide your working hours (woo!), but that also means knowing when it’s time to clock out. For me, working late is an absolute no - my evenings are about winding down and giving my brain time to digest the day ready for tomorrow.

IMO, it’s better to create a routine where I can be consistently creative and energised every day rather than work late one night and be groggy and uninspired the next. It’s not always easy to put a project to bed, but it’s worth it in the long run.

Don’t give out your digits

You’re not dating your clients (at least, I hope not), so why should they be able to contact you anytime of the day or night? I’m a strong believer that any work-related communication should be done in the professional realm i.e. emails or Asana and always within working hours. Don’t give out your digits - trust me! Forget about what others are doing and how they’re contacting their clients, and focus on what’s best for YOU.

Plan your time & income - and don’t overstretch yourself

When it comes to creating your boundaries, I’ve found that planning ahead is one of the best things you can do. Being realistic about the time you have available and the income you want to bring in can help you decide how many projects/ clients you’re available to work with, and how you should price the projects.

Planning gives you control, and in order to set solid boundaries, you need to be clear on where you’re at when it comes to your time and finances. At the start of every quarter, I know how many projects I have the time and energy for, and what I will be charging for them so that I never over-promise or under-deliver.

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Once you’ve set your boundaries, the hard part begins: actually sticking to them. It’s not always easy, but here’s how you can up your chances of maintaining your boundaries.

Keep practising

The more you do it, the easier it gets - it’s like second nature to me now! Keep flexing the boundary muscle, be honest and transparent with your clients, keep yourself accountable and stick to your guns. Work through the discomfort that may arise when you have to say no to someone - because after all, how can we expect others to respect our boundaries when we don’t respect them ourselves?

Communicate your boundaries

Your clients should know standard working etiquette (if we’re honest, some of them seemingly don’t) but it’s your job to communicate your boundaries when you start working together. Set out your ‘rules’ in your intro meeting, and discuss how they can communicate with you when they need to. Let them know you won’t be available by phone, and that they can expect replies to emails within X hours.

If you’re going through an especially busy patch, reach out and let them know so that they’re not left hanging. And if you notice your clients ignoring or pushing your boundaries, don’t be scared to re-communicate them - remind them they’re there for a reason.

Your boundaries are here to help

Boundaries are all about creating the best working environment to nurture good client relationships and allow you to provide high-quality work.

Try and find a way to communicate your boundaries to your clients in a way that shows them how it benefits them too e.g. “Please can you send me this via email as things often get lost in my DMs” or, “I can’t take on this project at the moment as I don’t have the capacity or energy to give it the attention the project deserves”. It’s honestly better for everyone when you stick to your boundaries.

In conclusion:

Creating professional boundaries is about setting limits: limits that protect yourself, your creativity, your brainpower, your integrity, your client relationships and your business. If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you start implementing some boundaries in your work life. Remember, you are not your business.