How to Start Creating Simple Business Boundaries
“One of the most shocking findings of my work was the idea that the most compassionate people I have interviewed over the last thirteen years were also, absolutely, the most boundaried.”
At this point, you've probably heard how important it is to have boundaries — in your business, in your life, with clients, with family, with friends, etc.
The tough part is knowing where to start, what boundaries to put in place, and how to enforce them.
We almost always discover what our boundaries are after someone has crossed them.
Annoyed with a client who keeps asking for one more revision or to hop on a quick call with you right now or emails you at 8pm on a Friday night?
That, right there, is your moment to implement a new boundary.
Add a note in your contract about how much additional revisions will cost, if additional calls are even allowed, or the time of day when you'll respond to emails.
Take those daily annoyances and use them to put new boundaries in place.
What is something you've been meaning to do in your business or life that just keeps rolling over to next week's to do list?
For me, it's email and social media notifications. I love staying in contact with you all, but I have let my inbox get to an overflowing, and overwhelming, state. So I'm enforcing new boundaries to keep my channels of communication a little more manageable. That means dedicating 30 minutes each day to email or one social media platform.
Putting this super simple boundary in place ensures you get a response from me in a timely manner and allows me to stop avoiding my overwhelming number of notifications with the constant, useless social media scroll.
Your turn. What is one boundary you can put in place for yourself today?
If it's dedicating 30 minutes per day to one social media platform, block off those 30 minutes on your calendar now. If it's putting office hours in place, add those office hours to your email signature now. If it's ensuring your clients pay for that extra revision, add it to your contract right now.