How to Create Boundaries as a Freelancer – My Top Tips

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Creating boundaries as a freelancer is essential. First, you need to think about creating boundaries with clients. This can help you avoid burnout and see your work as separate from your personal life.

Second, you’ll need to think about creating boundaries with family and friends, giving you the chance to focus on work when you need it.

However, sometimes it can be hard to understand how to create effective boundaries as a freelancer, especially if you’re just starting out or you’re currently trying to build your business.

I’ve put together a simple guide to creating healthy boundaries as a freelancer! Whether you’re a freelancer, remote worker or you’re new to working from home – I hope this guide can help.

Why is it important to create boundaries as a freelancer?

It’s so important to create boundaries as a freelancer. Creating boundaries with clients can help you:

• Avoid burnout
• Stop work from encroaching on your personal life
• Sustainably grow your business
• Remind yourself that life isn’t just about work!

In a traditional job, you can get separation between you and the office by simply coming home. However, if you’re a freelancer or remote worker, you need to create this separation yourself.

Creating boundaries between your work life and your personal life can also help you get work done. You need to make sure your family and friends know that, just because you’re in the house, it doesn’t mean you’re not working.

But this can be easier said than done when you’re working from home! With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few tips and tricks…

My tips to create boundaries as a freelancer

There are so many ways to create boundaries as a freelancer – and it can depend on what works best for you. Let’s take a closer look.

Tell everyone your working times

Coming up with regular working times is a great way to create an effective freelance routine – but it doesn’t work if you don’t stick to them.

While you’ll want to leave some room for flexibility, make sure the people around you know when you’re working – and when it’s okay to interrupt.

For example, you might want to work 9 to 12 in the morning. If that’s the case, tell anyone in the house that you’re working until lunchtime – and create a set break for yourself at the end.

You also need to tell your clients your working times. When you onboard a new freelance client, tell them your hours, whether it’s 9 to 5 or 10 to 3.

This will create a clear boundary for your clients from the start, making it harder for them to push into your personal life.

Don’t reply outside of your working hours

Now that you’ve set your working times, you need to remember that your clients won’t be expecting a reply outside of those times.

Although there’s nothing wrong with starting early or working late from time to time, it’s important to maintain your boundaries when it comes to client emails or messages.

Don’t get into the habit of checking or replying to client emails outside of your normal working hours, as they may then expect you to always be available. It’s a slippery slope, trust me.

You need to reduce the risk of clients pushing your boundaries by keeping them firmly in place. If a client constantly tries to push those boundaries, this could be a sign of a freelance red flag.

Take work emails off your personal phone. That way, you can avoid hearing about work when you should be taking time off, giving you a proper break when you’re not at your desk.

Choose a specific place to work

Choosing a specific place to work can help you switch off after a day of work. Your workspace is for work, and your home space is for your personal life.

Make sure to switch off from work after you’ve finished for the day by doing something different, like going to the gym, going for a run, popping in the shower or making tea.

Setting up a productive home office for yourself can also show other people in the house that you’re busy working at certain times of the day, reducing interruptions and distractions.

Get out of the house

Getting out of the house is one of the best ways to treat your work as separate from your home life. It means people can’t just drop by when you’re supposed to be working – and you won’t have to deal with work-from-home distractions like the postman.

If you’re a remote worker, there are lots of places you can choose to work out of the house, including:

• Cafés
• Pubs
• Co-working spaces
• Libraries
• A friend’s house
• The garden (weather dependent!)

It’s one of my favourite things about freelancing. As long as I have a laptop, I can work wherever I want. Whether you provide freelance translation services or you’re busy writing, there are lots of jobs you can do just as well remotely.

Looking for more? Check out my ebook ‘The Art of Balance‘ to help you avoid burnout and thrive in your business!

How do you create boundaries as a freelancer? What is your top tip to maintain a healthy work/life balance? Do you find it hard to stay focused as a freelancer?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments 🙂

Happy reading x