How to Set Healthy Boundaries as a Freelancer
Recently, I came across a post that talked about setting professional boundaries. And it reminded me of some experiences in my early days.
As a freelance professional, boundaries are everything. As someone who made the mistake of not setting clear boundaries, it is important to set them up upfront.
I remember having to work extra hours than I should, taking on more work than the initial scope of work. Of course, it came back to bite me because “some humans will be humans,” they took advantage.
I once had a client who gave me attitude and the silent treatment because I didn’t respond to their messages “after work hours.”
Those were dark days.
Setting boundaries as a new freelancer can be tough but do it anyway. Even if you’re yet to land your first client, you still need to set those boundaries for when you do.
Why set boundaries?
- To avoid risking burnout from overworking
- Healthy work-life balance
- Have your personal time respected
How to Set Boundaries;
Communication boundaries:
Be clear about when you’ll be available for meetings, respond to emails or take calls. Some clients expect you to be at their beck and call and would expect you to “quickly jump on a call”, nip this in the bud asap!!
Project Boundaries:
Agree on the scope of work upfront and how much any extra work or adjustments would cost. The time frame for “revisions” and how many. Leave no room for “can we overhaul this, or add this?” to an existing work without letting them know of the cost implications.
Personal boundaries:
Be polite and friendly but not overly. They’re your clients, not your buddies or even your family lol. Don’t get too familiar so you can maintain a great work relationship.
Learn to say no:
Don’t be afraid to say no to a client when they’re being unreasonable with project requests. Don’t accept projects that compromise your principles. It’s also important to know when to let a client go. If a client is beginning to trigger anxiety or make working with them painful, then it’s time to say goodbye.
Freelancing without setting boundaries is only going to cause you grief and make you feel taken advantage of. And these are surefire ways to build resentment — for your work and your client.
Healthy boundaries can uncomfortable but do it. It’ll help you do your best work, and achieve a better work-life balance, and isn’t that why you chose this path?
