How to Maintain Boundaries and Your Schedule as a Creative
While we’re certainly in the midst of busy summer season with our schedules jam-packed, creatives should be in control of their day-to-day all year round. Admittedly, boundaries can blur and days can quickly become overwhelming, but we are the ones setting the precedent for clients. If you don’t have policies in place, rest assured that burnout and stress are here to stay.
However, if you’re ready to break the mold, I’m here to share my top tips for maintaining boundaries and streamlining your schedule.
Staying organized within your schedule
When you have a lot of moving parts and projects on your plate, it’s difficult to think about setting some time aside for cleaning up your schedule. Personally, I know that it’s hard for me as a creative to think about sitting down to some admin work when I want to be doing other things. But, once you get into a groove with your schedule, you’ll be much happier – I promise!
I strongly recommend block-scheduling if you’re the type that knows a task will get done if it’s on your calendar. This can be blocking off an hour to answer emails in the morning, going through new inquiries during your downtime, or even putting that evening yoga class on your Google Calendar. I know it can seem silly when your hobbies are mixed in with daily appointments, but it’s much more helpful to get a full glance at your day. Give everything a home and you won’t leave any room to fall behind or get overwhelmed with forgotten tasks.
Setting expectations
Outlining your day-to-day means that there’s a to-do list for everything. You’ll know exactly when your day starts and ends, and this should extend to your clients and employees as well. Boundaries are non-negotiables, so don’t be afraid to put your foot down if someone wants to schedule a meeting outside of your availability or contacts you after hours.
Be upfront from the beginning. Lay out your working hours and let your client know what they can expect as well as what they *shouldn’t* expect. Being transparent with your creative process or your turnaround time isn’t a bad thing, it simply means that you’re firm with your work-life balance and availability.
How outsourcing plays a role
Believe it or not, outsourcing can be instrumental in helping you get from point A to point B in taking control of your schedule and client expectations. Hiring a virtual assistant or even a part-time person to handle admin tasks. Posting on social media, answering inquiry emails, scheduling appointments, or even managing finances can all be easily delegated with the right training.
Not only does this leave you to do what you love most, but it can instantly free up your calendar. That extra hour of filtering through payroll or unanswered emails can now be spent on a creative project that you’re looking forward to.
There’s absolutely no shame in admitting when your work gets to be too much to handle. Making your schedule more organized will only help you to succeed in the long run, and your clients will thank you for being clear about what they can expect from you.
Photos by Rene Zadori
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