Boundaries for Beginners | Episode 29

It's very tempting in the beginning to work 24-7 on your business. Evenings, weekends, holidays, they can all blur together. Maybe you think you have to work constantly to be successful. Should you create boundaries when you're just getting started on your business?

As I started to grow, I realized the major flaw in working all the time. My schedule was complete chaos. And once I brought on an assistant, it shed light upon how my chaos was affecting my business.

If you've found yourself thinking "I don't need boundaries yet, I'm still getting started. The structure will come in time", I want you to ask yourself something. What is one word that will describe your current schedule?

For me, it was chaos.

Our brains crave structure and routine. Growing up in the school system, we went through our days based on timing and ringing bells to keep us on-time.

Something changes when you have complete control over your own schedule. Total autonomy. It takes time to understand how to best use this time so that you can run your business and NOT let your business run you.

If you feel behind, ill-prepared, or like you're flying by the seat of your pants, I promise that there is a better way. There is a way for you to build structure and routine and honest-to-goodness there's a way to enjoy having a business with boundaries.

Think about your favorite restaurant. What if you didn't know their hours? What if they opened when the owner had free time and late on the evenings? It would be really stinkin' tough to give them your returned business.

Businesses have hours of operation. Businesses have days they're closed. How is yours any different? Why shouldn't you add this structure to your schedule?

I am not pretending to have this all worked out AT ALL! But, I very much have pivoted from this 'working constantly whenever I can' entrepreneur to a business with hours of operation. And I hope I can convince you to do the same!

Here are the three things that have seriously helped me define and maintain these boundaries.

#1. Set up systems and assign your days. W-O-W has this changed the way I operate. I took the flexibility out of my schedule when it came to doing the podcast. Podcast episodes happen on Thursday's. It's in my calendar. Assigning this day has allowed me to plan, show up consistently, and reclaim the driver's seat of my show.

#2 Assign times when you'll say "yes" and "no" to work. My "no" days are weekends and any scheduled time off. Does that sound incredibly basic? Listen, it took me MONTHS to be able to realize the value of reinforcing this rule! That mentality of being willing to not take of weekends and have holidays, well, that's not me. I accept that and I love that I take the time I need. That is how I have created structure. It may take me longer to build, but I am building the business that serves my life.

#3 View your boundaries as helpful, not as restrictive. Don't feel that they're a prison that tells you the only time you're allowed to work. These boundaries are freeing! They free you from the obligations of working on weekends. They allow you to have dinner with your family.

If you feel your schedule is out of control, then I want you to stop and ask yourself "How can I feel in control?" Because you don't have to feel behind. And just because you don't have a system now doesn't mean you can't create one in the future.


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