You may be excellent at negotiating your fees with clients, but struggle to establish and maintain boundaries with them. If this is the case, then this blog is for you. Here are 3 signs that it’s time to set better boundaries at work. 

Sign #1: You are resentful. If you are feeling resentful, put upon, or downright angry with a client, it’s probably a sign that you need to set better boundaries. Take some time to consider what is triggering your negative feelings and then address the underlying cause. Do you find your meetings running long or your inbox getting clogged up with follow up questions and tasks? If so, it may be time to remind yourself and your client of the original scope of the work and your availability. 

Sign #2: You are losing sleep. Sleep is precious, and if your mind is racing about a client, preventing you from getting enough rest, it’s a clear sign that something needs to change. If the person or organization is not compensating you for lost sleep, then it’s time to address your stress. Review your agreement and look for ways to tighten or expand the scope or change the deadlines. It’s okay to renegotiate a contract if it no longer is working for you, and the worst thing that can happen is they fire you and you get some rest!  

Sign #3: You feel undervalued. Some clients want more than you initially agreed to give. It may be more time, more expertise, or simply more of your soul. If you leave most meetings feeling underappreciated, then it’s time to ask yourself what needs to change. Common triggers for feeling undervalued include not charging enough or working with clients who are unwilling to change but somehow hold you responsible for their lack of progress. Don’t take the blame and rather think about what would make the situation better. It may be time to have a discussion about what is and what isn’t working with the client. 

Don’t beat yourself up if you show some of these signs. It happens to all of us from time to time. Focus your energy on identifying the problem and taking steps to address it with your clients, your boss, or yourself. 

Need help setting boundaries? Let’s talk. Click here to set up a free 30-minute discovery call.