Boundaries are not just for outside of work. We need to establish boundaries in business as well: at work and with our clients. More so now than before, as it has become the norm to merge our time outside of work helping our clients. This has become even more prevalent due to the work-from-home era that arose from post-Covid.
We tend to resonate with sayings such as, “The customer is always right,” or “The boss pays my bills,” and saying these things provides an unhealthy justification for working after hours and not taking time for yourself.
Boundaries are necessary in business just as much as they are on a personal level.
Why are boundaries important in a business?
There are multiple reasons why boundaries are so important in business. One of them is setting guidelines and communicating them in order to run a business more efficiently. By directly communicating them to your clients or as an employee, you establish a deeper sense of trust and connection.
Having strong business boundaries brings about so many positives in your life once you establish them. For example, it allows you to feel empowered and take charge of your day. It allows you to clearly see where your priorities lie and not have to feel guilty about saying no to anything that isn’t aligning with them.
It’s okay to say no!
It’s imperative to have your own downtime after work hours. Setting boundaries will help you confidently make decisions in the best interest of your business when you give that time to yourself and your personal needs. It also creates freedom to do more of what you love and less of what you don’t.
How to Set the Boundaries That You Want
First off, think about what you truly want. Don’t think about what you can do, but what you really want to do with your work. Secondly, set-up consequences if client agreements are breached. You must write it down and establish the policy in order to deal with the situation better. In addition, communicate your guidelines to clients and make them sign off (yes, you need to have a contract!) Commit to always having open and direct conversations with clients to squash any misunderstandings. You must set the precedent from the beginning; this goes for being an employee too and dealing with their reporting manager.
To learn more on how to set boundaries in business and for strategic communication planning that will help your business succeed, please contact The Social Company today for more information.
Hina Mirza
PR Specialist
The Social Company