Setting boundaries in your business should be one of the first line items you cross off during your business building process. That and finding a great way to invoice your clients, but that’s beside the point. Boundaries are crucial to keeping your business an enjoyable and sustainable part of your life. Once those boundaries are blurred, all bets are off.
We’ll just come right out and say it – If you don’t have boundaries, you likely don’t have a healthy business
Setting boundaries within your business is imperative for not only your sanity’s sake but also the overall health of your business.
It is way better (and easier) to start things off with a client, project, team, etc. with boundaries already in place as opposed to trying to reinstate them after the fact.
However, if your business is already dealing with some broken boundaries – don’t worry. We have the tips and strategies to help get things back on track.
Signs that you don’t currently have healthy boundaries in place
Take a look at these various warning signs to see if you are in need of some updated or new boundaries in your business.
1. You feel overwhelmed and overstretched every single day.
Do you dread the sound of your alarm or feel anxiety lurking every time you open your email? If so, you’re likely working way beyond your means.
2. You find yourself working on things that you actually dread.
The types of tasks that have you questioning why you’re actually doing what you’re doing.
This one is a rough spot to be in – especially when you started your business because you loved doing whatever it is that you do best.
3. Clients ring / email / WhatsApp you at all hours
The worst part of this scenario is that you feel compelled to respond right there and then – who needs to eat their meals hot, right?!
This one personally gives us anxiety just thinking about it. Sure, technology is great for communicating with clients, but sometimes they wear out their privilege of being so connected to you.
4. You’re starting to feel resentful of certain projects/clients.
You may be at a point where you just want a project to be OVER so this client can be out of your life forever. Each task you complete is one step closer to never having to deal with them again. This anger and resentment is not beneficial and it’s one of the biggest reasons that boundaries are oh, so necessary.
5. You’re exhausted.
And we mean truly exhausted. Like beyond what is standard in the 95%-less-fun-than-we-expected world of adulthood. You find yourself dozing off at your desk or the dinner table. Your mind is at full capacity – leaving little room for family and friends.
Any of these situations can be tough to navigate through and deal with, but don’t worry, it is possible to come out the other side! Learn more about our tips with dealing with overwhelm here!
Reasons why you may be currently avoiding creating those boundaries to best serve you and your biz;
You know things are bad and you want them to be better, but you are scared to move forward. You may think that setting boundaries will scare current and future clients away (not true, but we get it).
Maybe you just want to avoid conflict altogether and “keep the peace” with your current clients. You could be dealing with your inner people-pleaser and secretly you like being all things to all people, all of the time.
FOMO could be the major culprit in having bad boundaries because what if you miss out on an awesome opportunity by saying no?! Plus, when you think about it, you may not even know where to start when it comes to those healthy boundaries.
Maybe you’re resonating with ALL of the above. It happens!
We totally get the fear but here’s what will actually happen if you develop a strong and healthy set of boundaries within your business;
Good things are coming. Get ready!
If you create strong boundaries in your business, sure you might lose a few people in the beginning, but these are the clients that require you to have boundaries in the first place. Losing them will only make space for new clients. Clients that will truly respect your time and skills – the type of clients that actually tend to pay more because they know the value you offer.
It’s the ultimate win-win situation.
Now you’re no longer bending over backward trying to anticipate those ever-moving goal-posts. With these changes, you will gain much-needed mental space to be able to focus on doing your best work yet. This will only lead to more / better clients!
Essentially, more of what you love and less of what you don’t – pretty sweet, right?
These healthy boundaries are also game-changers for your mental health. It will improve greatly and you’ve got to think of it this way – a healthy, happy boss equals a healthy, happy business.
Boundaries will help you ensure that you avoid the dreaded burnout and keep things running smoothly!
Whether you need to update your boundaries or you are starting your business with healthy ones right from the start, be sure to always have these boundaries at the forefront of your business. Communicate them to clients from the get-go to avoid any difficult situations down the road!
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