Imagine that it’s Thursday morning, and you find email from your client.
Hey you! I shared a doc with you earlier with details on the project I need you to handle. When can you get this done?
You’re a people pleaser, so before you even get out of bed, your reply: Hey! No worries — I’ll get this done today.
An hour later when you’re at your desk and you actually look at the document, you want to stab yourself with a fork.
You have high standards. You want to overdeliver, to put a bow on it, to rock out the work. But you also want to know how to establish boundaries.
And right now, you hate your life because you created an extremely arbitrary deadline for a big project.
You wind up working all day. You’re snapping at the kids, and it’s way past their bedtime by the time you finish.
This is NOT what you signed up for when you started out as a Virtual Administrative Consultant. You wanted to be in control of your time. You wanted to be in control of your life.
Yet, here you are, working long hours and not reading bedtime stories to your kids.
And the worst part? It’s your own fault.
I used to do this ALL. THE. TIME.
I’d create a sense of urgency that wasn’t really there, and then I’d force myself to get things done on the timeline I’d created in my mind. Instead of sitting with Daphne to talk about her day, I’d be staying up late to ensure the work was perfect.
Which meant I was tired and grumpy the next day.
Which…
You get the picture.
WHY?
Look, you’re a Free Mama, so providing an exceptional experience for your clients is WHO YOU ARE.
And sometimes, there is real urgency for a project. Sometimes, the client actually needs something to happen RIGHT NOW, for a valid reason.
Other times? Well, it’s worth asking.
When does this need to be done?
And then clarify things:
Right now, I’m working on these five things for you. Do you want me to set those aside and focus solely on this thing?
When you need to, ask for help prioritizing the work. Let your client decide what’s truly urgent and what can stay in the queue.
Communication, Mama. The better you get at communicating with your clients, the better you’ll be at setting expectations and that’s how to establish boundaries that let you truly live the Free Mama life.
Looking for a little guidance as you build your Free Mama life? Check out the Free Mama Guide to Freelancing. It’s the most affordable way to get started AND get your communication, expectations, and boundaries into place.
P.S. Want to know how to truly spark transformation in your life? Don’t miss this blog post!
P.P.S. Need even more Free Mama goodness? Check out Free Mama TV!