110: 8 Benefits of Setting Boundaries with Clients

18/8/2021

The Ops Authority

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20:14

Do you find it hard to establish and communicate boundaries with your clients?

Today, we are going to talk about why you need to set boundaries with your client or employer. The most successful relationships that I’ve had are those in which I've been able to show up as my true self, and have established boundaries. Not only did I have to do the work to define the boundaries, but I had to effectively communicate those boundaries. When I was able to do both of those things, I experienced the most fulfilling business relationships I’ve ever had.

Why You Need Boundaries in Your Business

What is a boundary? It is a limit which you consider acceptable. There is no box you have to fit in, and there is no list of boundaries that will be applicable for everyone. You get to be the author, and your boundaries should come from what you value.

If you are thinking about all the relationships that haven’t been successful, a common theme was probably that you were under-appreciated and overworked. Overworking never produces an overly satisfied party. The over-striving to impress someone sucks your time and energy.

“A healthy relationship lends itself to a productive, effective, and highly communicative partnership.”

I want you to move from a place where you feel like an employee to the next level of that feeling of partnership. Being productive, effective, and communicative are met by having boundaries and having mutual respect for those boundaries. The win/win for you and your client is that you are able to show up and share your gifts, rather than carry the stress, questions, and worries.

So, let’s dive a little deeper into why boundaries are so important in the work you do.

You Come First

You likely got into business because you want to do life on our own terms. You want to use your gifts and expertise and be able to show up authentically as you. These boundaries are going to be derivatives of your goals, dreams, values and vision.

You Deserve Balance

We all have talked for years about the concept of work-life balance. After all of that work, the work-life balance is still elusive… especially in a corporate environment. If you are stepping out and doing business on your own, I want you to be balanced. The closest you will get to that is going to be the place you are the happiest with yourself, your family, and your work.

Take as Much as You Give

You can easily get out of balance when you are overachieving or when you are not clear. Those things lead to overworking and burnout, which is the opposite of what balance looks like.

Your Mental Health Matters

If you feel stressed, can’t sleep, or have a lack of exercise, all of this will lead to a place of poor mental health. These lack of boundaries can lead you to a place of being in a poor mental health space.

“No boundaries equals stress all of the time.”

High Performing Connections and Relationships

When you have boundaries you have high performing connections and relationships. If you have been in a position where you have felt that you were never doing the right thing or never doing enough… it likely lacked an ease of communication. In this situation you will never have the feeling of high performance. When you have all of that chaos around you, it never feels like ease.

“When you have high performing connections, it builds a solid relationship and creates the best client relationships.”

Stay Focused and Productive When Present

When you have boundaries, you will stay focused and productive when present. Time is a boundary for most of us. If you put a boundary on your time and couple it with a healthy communicative relationship, then when you show up to work you will be focused and productive. You won’t have all of the emotions that will slow you down.

Avoid Uncomfortable Situations

When you have boundaries you avoid uncomfortable situations and misunderstandings. Your clients can’t read your mind, so if you don’t clearly communicate your boundaries, there is no way a client can uphold them. They won’t be able to know if they are putting you in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Love Your Work

I want you to love your work, and honor your gifts. When you do this, you will experience less turnover. When you are seen for the great gifts you have, and are able to use your gifts, you will stay in that place for a lot longer. Finding new clients will always set you back, so minimize that by working with people who respect your boundaries.

“If you can go into a relationship where your boundaries are said, understood, and practiced, you will love your work in a different way.”

If this topic resonates with you (it should if you’re a service provider in any capacity), we have a 5-day series coming up and it’s all about scope creep. You know, when the time when your client or clients take over your entire life or a project goes from simple to stressed? Register here.

Weekly Ops Activity

Evaluate the struggles you are currently experiencing with your client, write them down, and then write out a boundary statement that you can institute to minimize your struggle. Head over to the FB group and share it with us!