Time Boundaries
The beginning of this new year represents an important transition for me: the end of my first year at Rooted Strategy. I started this business because I wanted to provide support and encouragement to leaders as they navigate change, both large and small, in their organizations. I could not have known how much change was waiting for all of us in 2020. And while there are plenty of things I’d love to leave behind, there’s at least one thing that I’m taking with me.
Time boundaries.
Let me tell you why.
One of the most pleasant surprises of 2020 was the unexpected speed with which my business grew. Within the first two months of last year, I had a full book of work and plenty more planned. I was busy, which seemed like a sign of success and made me feel grateful.
Then came March. Remember March?
Just as my workload was expanding, my most important work support - child care - disappeared. Overnight, I was a full-time everything: caretaker, consultant, teacher, business owner, house manager, and doom-scroller.
To say I was overwhelmed is an understatement. I was STUCK in a sort of suspended animation as I tried to negotiate with myself, my partner, and my clients how much was enough.
Then I heard something that unstuck me: your work will expand to the time you give it.
WHOA!
As a self-employed person who works from home, I actually get to decide how much work and what kind of work I’m going to do. I get to decide how many days and hours per week I work, and when, and at what scale. But no matter how many options lay before me to fill my time, I only have 24 hours in a day – so I better choose wisely. And I better make sure I’m choosing things that meet my needs, reflect my values, and honor the responsibilities I have been given.
Here’s how I’ve integrated time boundaries into my life:
First, I asked myself: how much time do I want to spend doing (fill in the blank)? Client work, this or that task, housework, professional development, homeschooling, time with my partner, self-care, sleep, etc. Knowing my time boundaries empowered me to say no to things that don’t quite fit.
I also had to ask myself this question: what losses am I willing to tolerate by saying no? As with all choices in life, there are trade-offs: Less money, disappointed clients, missed opportunities. I’ve accepted all of the above and more. It has not been easy, and in fact at times it has been downright uncomfortable. But it has been so liberating.
Then, I built a system to protect my boundaries. My system includes some very technical solutions. For example, I estimate how much time a task should take, set a timer, and stop when the time is up. There’s also the adaptive solutions to address more complex needs: I narrowed the focus of my work and only accept offers that align with my focus, and I asked for help with homeschooling from my fellow “pod” parents. When there’s a system failure, I learn what I can and integrate that lesson to make the system better.
Perhaps this lesson is one that only a first year in business during a pandemic could have provided, but I plan to take it with me into year two and beyond. There’s no possible way that anyone can predict what’s waiting for us in 2021, but perhaps time boundaries can help you prioritize those things that matter most – regardless of what may come.