Boundaries are the one thing we all know we need to have, but sometimes we are afraid to set them with clients or even in our personal lives.
With the prevalence of remote work, smart technology, and more flexible schedules, separating work and personal life can seem almost impossible these days. However, prioritizing our physical, emotional, and mental health is an important part of creating boundaries so that we can enjoy a work-life balance.
A lot of times in business, the lack of boundaries comes from the fear of losing a client. This is especially true for small business owners.
Why it’s Important to Set Business Boundaries
“We don’t have personal lives and professional lives. We have one life with many roles and facets,” – Sally Anne Carroll, a life and career reinvention coach.
Research shows “physical and mental breaks decrease burnout, improve productivity and reduce mistakes”.
Setting proper boundaries is a skill we can all learn. Having proper boundaries at work will increase productivity, and most importantly, it’s a form of self-care.
Here are some benefits of setting proper boundaries:
- Boundaries build respect
- It manages expectations
- It reduces stress and burnout
Side Effects Of Loose Or No Boundaries
According to Gallop, the percentage of people who always worked from home before and after COVID-19 feel burnout very often 11% more of the time. While those who worked in the office and now work at home feel burnout 4% less than before.
76% of those surveyed by Flexjobs agree that workplace stress affects their mental health.
“Business owners or remote workers who have no boundaries have experienced a direct effect on their mental health. If your boundaries are loose or open, it could lead to”:
- Overwhelm
- Burnout
- Mentally and emotionally exhaustion
- Getting too involved in other people’s problems
- Difficulty saying “no” to requests from others
- Oversharing of personal information with others
How To Set Boundaries
It’s important to note that it’s never too late to set boundaries. Here are a few steps to getting your time and freedom back.
Set Communication Boundaries
It’s essential to set communication expectations. Make it clear to your clients when you will respond to their messages. Would it be within 24 hours? 48 hours? Monday-Friday? Whatever time or style you choose is up to you, but when you have decided, ensure you communicate it.
Set Work Hours
Choose your business schedule. This sets a window of when your business is open and when you will be working. This helps clients to know when you’re available. If you don’t work during the weekends, you need to establish this boundary.
Create A Workspace
Instead of sitting on your couch or bed and working, create a workspace where you go when you work. If you can, create your workspace in the living room, kitchen, or spare bedroom. If possible, try to avoid using your bedroom as a workspace. This will make your bedroom a haven where you can truly relax and be calm from the day’s job.
Block Out Emails And Notifications At The End of the Work Day
Use an app to block work email and apps during non-working hours. One thing you do not want to happen to you is receiving emails and notifications on your phone when you are relaxing or spending time with family and friends.
Identify Your Priorities
Earning an income is necessary for meeting basic life needs, but income is not the only priority in life. It’s important to list your top priorities and see how you should allocate your time and energy. You may prefer spending time on your hobbies and with loved ones, so keep that in mind as you plan your work schedule.
Learn To Say ‘No’
It’s vital to know your limits, energy and capacity. Don’t take more work than you can handle because you want to make your clients happy. Every extra task that is outside your contract agreement should be paid for. Sometimes even when the client is okay with paying for more work you can still and should say no to it, if it’s beyond the workload you ideally would like to handle.
Conclusion
Setting work-life boundaries doesn’t mean you should never work outside of regular work hours. However, if such work after hours happens more often outside of emergencies, that’s a problem you need to address. You can always adjust, but the key is to get clear with how you want to operate your business and communicate it with all clients.
Where do you stand with your business boundaries? Comment below!
