Essential business boundaries that you need to implement TODAY as a freelancer.
Let’s talk about BOUNDARIES in business.
I know this might make some of you cringe, but we gotta do it.
What if you could clock out at the same time every day and have Fridays off?
What if scope creep wasn’t a thing?
What if your clients didn’t consistently change the direction of projects mid-way through?
What if 6 week projects actually only took 6 weeks?
What if you weren’t expected to reply to emails immediately?
What if you could live your d*mn life AND be a boss b*tch in your biz too… Without being stretched thin across all the things?
That’s possible when you sort out the boundaries you have in your business: With your clients, but also yourself.
So how do you get there? Here’s some actionable things that you can do to create and stick with better boundaries…
Why business boundaries matter.
Honestly, when I’m coaching those inside my mastermind, The Inner Circle, we almost always find out that business boundaries—or a lack of—are the main issue.
Without boundaries in business, you probably find yourself in the stuck spot I just mentioned above. But when you can finally implement business boundaries, everything will start to feel a lot easier.
These boundaries aren’t just ones you need to implement with clients. YOU are often the biggest culprit in overstepping boundaries too. I see you sitting at your desk late at night again even though you swore to yourself that you were going to clock out early today.
But really, having better boundaries in business is how you’re going to be able to break past the messy middle and finally start to grow and scale. This is how you’re going to finally be able to build a business that supports your lifestyle… Instead of squeezing life in around work.
Have a clear vision for your business.
→ Get clear on what you want your day to day to look like. Inside my mastermind, The Inner Circle, we always bring everything back to the Ideal Calendar Exercise. It’s simple, but gold (iykyk).
This absolutely needs to be the place you start setting better boundaries. If you don’t know what you want your life to look like, you won’t be able to make changes to achieve that lifestyle.
Build systems and processes into your business.
→ Refine your project workflows to streamline your to-dos. Systems and processes. Hiring and delegating work from your plate. You gotta do this if you want to scale with ease.
→ Choose office hours and cut yourself off when you’re going over those. You’re the only one who’s going to tell you when you quit.
→ Back yourself up with a contract that protects you. Your contracts can support all the decisions about HOW you want to run your business. When are you available for client meetings? What happens if a project is delayed? You need this to be 💯 ASAP.
Respect yourself enough to set business boundaries.
→ Vet clients before you accept them. You’re a business owner and you don’t need to work with everyone. Run from red flags. Say no to anyone who doesn’t seem like a good fit. More, better opportunities will come your way when you create space for them.
→ Take self-discipline seriously. As much as I could be the type of creative CEO that flits around all day and doesn’t really get anything done… I know I won’t thrive that way. That’s not how CEOs are truly successful (it’s more starving artist style, you know?). Being disciplined with myself and sticking to the boundaries I set is a form of self-respect for me. This is how I get to where I want to go.
Work smarter, not harder: Set better business boundaries.
There’s so much more you can do, but I don’t want to overwhelm you with a massive to-do list. My advice is to pick 1 thing that you can change this week. Start small and grow from there.
If you like this conversation and are 1000% ready to go ALL IN and start making massive changes in your business, check out The Inner Circle—business boundaries are something we cover inside. Boundaries give you better work-life balance, create better systems and flow, and set expectations for you, your team, and your clients.
The Inner Circle is an intimate hybrid-style mastermind combining private coaching, consulting, and a like-minded micro-community for multi-passionate, growing copywriters, marketers, and freelancers.
✨ It’s the place where you can dream up your next moves and scale your way—in alignment with your business and life. ✨
