How to set firm boundaries at work / better work life balance

[Vida9090]

Not sure this is quite the right place to post this but my reason for wanting to set firmer work boundaries is because of my daughter..I’m also in my first trimester of pregnancy feeling pretty rubbish and wanting to make some changes.

Does anyone have any tips for how to deal with employers or clients to get a better work life balance but still not seem unreasonable/ unhelpful?

I’m self employed and pre- baby I used to work late nights and weekends for clients all the time and always went the extra mile / was fully available to them. This has brought the benefit of lots of long term repeat business and good client relationships ..but I’m really struggling to keep the momentum since coming back off maternity leave and now I’m pregnant i just feel enough is enough.

I’m due to start a new project next week for a long standing client who tends to give me the most work but is also the most demanding. I’m stressed as I know I can’t commit to work in the usual way without burning out..I’ve already told him I’ve reduced to 4 days a week and no weekends which he was fine with and said he just wanted as much time as I could spare. But I said this on the last job and the workload was just as high but I had to work like crazy and did end up working weekends..I’m determined for it not to happen again.

I think I just need to agree and if needed reduce my workload up front..I’m just so rubbish with setting these boundaries as I’m a natural people pleaser but my priorities have obviously changed.

Bit of a rant really but any advice much appreciated..maybe I’m in the wrong job and being naive.

Oops actually meant to post in parenting!

You need to make it clear what hours you are contactable between and turn phone off/out of hours on.

Set your boundaries. Are you being paid to complete a task or by your time spent?

You've definitely done the right thing telling him you're doing the 4 days and no weekends, you just need to make sure to stick to that now. Depending what kind of work you do is it possible to extend deadlines etc if they end up giving you more work than you're able to do in those days? And explain to them that you can do the work but due to your new hours it will be longer before it's finished. Of course this will depend what the work is. I would also say if it's a case where you have contracts etc, write your working hours in to the contract so that if they're not happy further down the line you can refer back to that and that they agreed to this

Thanks for the replies..I’m being paid to complete a task / series of tasks with a set project deadline, however I work with other consultants so have the ability to say at the start if I think I have too much work to complete within my hours..I can then offer additional resource or they can reallocate in-house.

I can also agree the number of days I’ll work at the start of the project because I get paid daily.

I guess I know the answers it’s just following through with it! I suppose I’m worried because the client has had the supercharged / I’ll do anything version of me they won’t be as satisfied with this version. Good idea on not answering calls and emails out of hours..this client loves a 9pm catch up!