As a female business owner, you’ll already know how hard entrepreneurship can be with the constant demands on your time and the challenges that come your way. It’s absolutely try to there are huge highs to be enjoyed, but equally huge lows when things don’t go to plan. It’s easy to end up feeling that we have to do everything and be everywhere, all of the time! Now, while passion for and dedication to what we do are essential, it’s equally crucial to recognise the significance of knowing when to stop. So in today’s blog post, we’ll explore why setting boundaries is important, if you’re going to succeed on your entrepreneurial journey.
When you say ‘yes’ to others, make sure you’re not saying ‘no’ to yourself.
Paul Coehlo
5 reasons why setting boundaries is important
The need for, and benefits to be gained from, setting boundaries will be different for each person, and reflective of personal circumstances. However, there are five key reasons why setting boundaries is important, and we explore them one by one, below:
1) Preserving Your Well-being:
Running a business encroach so easily into all aspects of our lives, and the lines between personal and professional often blur. Think about the time you ‘just’ had to answer that message or complete that task that ‘just’ couldn’t wait . But by working this way, it’s all too easy to find yourself overwhelmed and burnt out. Setting boundaries is important here because, by establishing limits on working hours, communication channels, and personal time, you safeguard your mental and physical well-being. Remember, when we look after ourselves, our businesses will reap the benefits!
2) Enhancing Productivity:
Contrary to the belief that limitless dedication equates to success, setting boundaries is important because they can significantly boost your productivity. By clearly outlining your work hours, tasks, and priorities, we allow ourselves to focus on what really matters. This, in turn, prevents the notorious trap of busyness without meaningful progress. By honing in on your most impactful activities, you’ll drive your business forward more efficiently.
3) Nurturing Healthy Relationships:
Balancing your personal and professional lives and associated responsibilities can be a delicate act for female entrepreneurs. Setting boundaries is important because doing so not only protects your business commitments but also allows you space to be just ‘you’. Communicate your working hours to friends and family, and designate specific times for personal activities. This way, you’ll maintain a harmonious balance that supports both your business and your relationships.
4) Fostering Creativity and Innovation:
It might seem strange to hear, but creativity thrives in environments with clear boundaries. When you give yourself the opportunity to think, reflect, and recharge in a space that’s free from distraction, new ideas, opportunities and solutions will flow so much more freely. Whether it’s a designated brainstorming day or weekly ‘creative time’, establishing boundaries around your creative process will make a huge, and very positive, difference.
5) Asserting Your Value:
As scary as it might sound, setting boundaries is actually a hugely empowering act that shows that you really recognise your value as a female entrepreneur. It sends a message to others that your time, expertise, and personal life are valuable, and in doing so, you set the standard for how others should treat you. This also links to how you value yourself in a financial sense, which you can read more about here.
And now what?
We all know that setting boundaries is important, but many of us find it challenging to accomplish. So as with any big ‘project’ or change, break it down into manageable chunks and take it from there. You could, for example, start by blocking out a weekly slot in your diary where you take a longer lunch, for a self-care boost. Or you could review your auto-responders on social media to ensure that they are setting both boundaries and expectations. You can find some other, simple, but effective tips here.
Then when you’re ready, set some time to reflect on your business and your life, and see where the weak points are when it comes to boundaries. See what needs updating and strengthening and start to put measures in place to do that.
I promise – in the long term, your business AND your life will thank you!