How to Set Boundaries in Business
You hear people say all the time how important boundaries are. But why? And how do you set boundaries with clients? I’ll tell you that setting boundaries changed my business for the better. I’m much happier, balanced, and productive. Let me explain how I set boundaries with my clients, what the boundaries are, and how you can do the same.
How to Set Boundaries
There are a few important things to remember when setting boundaries with clients.
1. Be Respectful
The last thing you want is to set a boundary out of frustration. Don’t let it get to the point where you’re upset and acting out of heightened emotion. Politely set the boundaries in an email or your contract (more on that in a minute).
2. Be Clear
I recommend putting some of your boundaries in the contract you have with your clients. Then, if a boundary is broken, you can refer them to the contract they signed (in a respectful way!). You don’t need to say what NOT to do, but clearly explain your expectations regarding the boundaries you set.
3. Stick to Your Guns
I really had to learn this one in my first few years managing my business. It’s hard for me to say no to my clients because I love helping them! But, you have to stick to your boundaries. They say if you give a little, they’ll take a lot. It’s so true in business. If you give a little leeway one day, the next day, they’ll ask for a little more. Don’t make compromises on your boundaries. Remember that you set them for a reason - to give yourself a healthy break from work.
Types of Boundaries to Set
Here are a few boundaries I set with my clients.
1. Office Hours
I put my office hours in my contract. I state that I’ll be available Monday-Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM PST unless otherwise noted. In that case, I’ll send my client an email letting them know when I’m taking time off well in advance and send a few reminders leading up to it. Again, I’m very clear on when I’m available and when I’m taking time off.
I also let clients know when they can expect to hear back from me. Generally, I say that I respond in 24 hours. However, if they email me at 7 PM on Friday, they won’t hear back until Monday morning. Clients shouldn’t expect you to answer immediately, but you need to make your response time clear.
2. Preferred Communication
Do you prefer to talk on the phone, email, text, video chat, Slack, send voice messages, or use Facebook Messenger? There are so many ways to communicate these days that you need to set boundaries with how you prefer to communicate. For example, I don’t give out my personal cell phone number to my clients because I don’t like to communicate via text. I prefer email, Slack, and video calls. Those are the only ways I’ll communicate with clients, and they all know that is how to reach me.
3. Saying No
I always feel bad saying no to clients! I want to help in any way I can, but sometimes, their request is outside my team’s area of expertise, or the scope of the project is too much. It’s totally fine to tell clients that. The important thing is to be clear about why you are saying no. I also like to provide them referrals or resources that can help them with their original request.
P.S. It’s also okay to say no if you simply don’t want to do what they requested of you!
Boundaries are totally normal and okay to set! You shouldn’t feel guilty for doing what you need to do to maintain a healthy work-life balance. No one will blame you for that. After all, that’s what we’re all trying to achieve!
