Do you ever receive cryptic emails from clients, late-night texts, and “urgent” calls? Have you ever considered if any of these are non-negotiables? Which of these do you believe are impeding your work-life balance (or rather doing business the way you want to do business)?

Now list your non-negotiables:

1.
2.
3.

Now let’s shift your focus, these non-negotiables should be boundaries. I suggest that you list your boundaries in your upfront client communications, proposals, and contract. Set reasonable expectations from the start to build a foundation for a positive client relationship.

“I ask that you kindly respect I observe a no texting rule with clients. Email communication better allows me to respond timely and keep records of our conversations.”

While non-negotiables can be different for all of us, we each learn through experiences.

Don’t be afraid to set boundaries & when all else fails, trust your intuition. You’ll be happy you did.