Setting Healthy Boundaries with Side Gig Clients
When you first start working on a side gig, it is tempting to make yourself available 24/7 to your clients because you are trying to get things off the ground. However, it is important to set healthy boundaries so you do not fall into the trap of working all the time, even when you are trying to enjoy your downtime (and you do need downtime). Plus, without boundaries, some clients can take advantage of that and you will find yourself answering endless emails in the middle of the night or in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner. Check out the following tips to set healthy boundaries with your clients and customers:
• Set your work hours and stick to them. A schedule can not only help you stay organized, but it can help keep you sane! By adhering to scheduled hours, it gives clients a sense of routine and stability that if they email you after hours, they can expect to hear back from you the following day during your work hours. Additionally, it gives you control over your schedule so you can give yourself a quitting time, which is important if you are working on your side gig in addition to your regular job.
• Do not let yourself be taken advantage of by someone who wants to haggle. This is not to say it is not worth doing sales, promotions, or taking on a few clients at a discounted rate to help build up your portfolio. But sometimes you encounter people who try and strong arm you into giving away your services for free to no benefit to you. Remember that for every choosing beggar you encounter, there are tons more people who are more deserving of your time and effort. You and your work are valid and worthy of respect!
• If the situation calls for it, show you are willing to go the extra mile. This might sound counterintuitive after the first point, but it is important when it comes to building client relations and trust. If a client has a simple question that is not an emergency, that is an email response that can wait until the following morning. If there is an emergency situation that cannot wait, be willing to put in the extra effort and time into resolving the situation. This can give the client the reassurance that while you have boundaries that need to be respected, you can and will be there in the event of an emergency. That trust and confidence can help you to not only ensure you have a satisfied client, but that can lead to more work from that client as well as potential referrals to more clients.
What are your best tips for setting healthy boundaries with your side gig clients and customers? Let us know how you make your time work for you!