LESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES
In the past, I’ve been known for having good boundaries, especially between my business and my personal life. But this year has been particularly stressful for me as I juggle business, life, and my divorce. It wasn’t long before I started crossing my own lines in an effort to keep up with everything: a text from a client here, a Saturday call over there, a presentation first thing in the morning. What started as a way to fit more into my schedule actually overwhelmed my schedule.
It turns out, an eagerness to respond quickly and be available led me straight into burnout. Here’s how I unintentionally created my own burnout by being too responsive to clients—and how you can avoid doing the same.
The Trap of Constant Availability
As soon as clients started emailing and texting at all times of the day, I knew I was in trouble. Even though I wasn’t responding outside of my business hours (that much), clients were starting to rely on me being available whenever they needed me. I was showing my clients that I’m dedicated to them, but this constant responsiveness took a toll on my energy and creativity.
Setting Boundaries: A Lifesaver
To help me recover from my burnout, I got back to setting clear boundaries with clients and vendors. Here are some strategies that helped me:
- Turn Off Phone Notifications: Constant pings can fragment your focus. Turning off notifications during your deep “flow state” work, like AutoCAD, or after business hours, allows you to recharge. For me, it goes even deeper. I turned off the badges and red alerts on my phone. Now I’m starting to get back to only checking emails and texts when I feel like checking them instead of instantly as they come in.
- Establish Business Hours: Let clients know your working hours and stick to them. It sets expectations and gives you a much-needed break. I broke the rules with a handful of people, and I sent out an email (not a text) to ask for their help moving back to our standard practices.
- Schedule Downtime: Block out time for yourself—whether it’s a hobby, family time, or just relaxing. Your well-being is just as important as your work. For me, Mondays are office days again, which means no outside appointments or any meetings. Fridays, I’ve blocked off at least the last 1/2 of the day so I can do whatever I want. If I need to work, I could, but I’ve been discovering that the value of the rest time is more valuable than getting the work done sooner.
- Use Automation Tools: Automate repetitive tasks to free up time for more valuable work. ChatGPT has been helping me think of different ways to automate tasks using Zapier and Dubsado. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out our February 2025 Hottie Hangout about Workflows & Automations, where we had tons of helpful advice and best practices shared by other designers.
I’m not going to tell you it’s been easy to implement these strategies; I did it thoughtfully over the last 2 months, and I’ve managed to reclaim more of my time and energy. Remember, taking care of yourself isn’t just good for you—it’s good for your clients too!
Fizzles & Sizzles
Rebecca's Fizzle
Shaun's Fizzle
I’ve been working on my website refresh for months and its 98% there! I was doing most of it myself but finally outsourced the bits I was struggling with. Holding myself accountable here… I’m finishing it this month!!
I accidentally no-showed on a Zoom meeting with a client. I just got distracted and even though it was the first time that happened, I felt terrible. It was one of those “oh, crap!” moments I don’t want to repeat.
Rebecca's Sizzle
Shaun's Sizzle
We’ve been coveting the small warehouse next door to our office for years and finally got it. Only designers would be turned on by rows of empty utility racks. Let the real hoarding begin!
I got away with friends to Joshua Tree and it was one of the most normal weekends I’ve had since my divorce started at the beginning of the year. Definitely a place for rest and quiet.
