This week’s episode of The Podcast Trapper was a little different. I decided to jump into a topic that is absolutely essential….not just for podcasters, but for every entrepreneur ever.
Let’s talk about boundaries!
My question for you is this. Are you burnt out? Exhausted? Stressed? Are you doing too much of what you don’t enjoy, and not enough of what you do?
Are you constantly toggling between eleven different apps and programs trying to stay on top of everything?
Today I’m sharing my vulnerable thoughts about how I set boundaries in my own business, and I strongly encourage you to stop, drop and listen.
Boundaries Help You Avoid Big-Time Burnout
During the start of the pandemic, a lot of you started your own companies. I did it too! It felt really exciting to leave behind traditional employment and create something for ourselves, right?
However, I’ve been noticing a trend and it’s not a fun one.
Entrepreneurs are getting so burnt out and tired, they’re leaving their businesses behind and returning to employment.
If that’s you, no judgment - but let’s talk about how to make your entrepreneurship journey more sustainable if you want to stay in it for the long haul!
Let’s use me as an example. When I left my stable career in healthcare and launched Adode Media Studios, it was a wild and thrilling ride. I didn’t know what to expect.
With full force, I poured my heart and soul into Adode Media and started Blk Pod Collective. I don’t actually make my money running Blk Pod Collective…so I had to take a break for a while! I had built up my reputation as a community builder, and that meant that people were inspired by my momentum.
But y’all, I was tired.
I needed that break so that I could come back stronger. But do you know what people said? They said Ona, what if your audience isn’t there when you come back? What if it all goes away?! I hear that. But what good is it to hustle and grind myself to the point of exhaustion, showing up for this audience in a half-assed way? I don’t think that’s what showing up should look like. I knew I wasn’t at my best and most capable, so I decided to rest.
I want to set an example for my fellow creators - and specifically my creators of color - to take care of ourselves.
When we get burnt out, we are less of ourselves. We bring less to the table, our light is not shining as brightly, and we’re unable to inspire others as fully as we normally do.
If you need to take a break, do it. I’m serious. It’s so easy to believe that if you step away for one moment, you’ll come back to nothing. But guess what? It turns out, that’s actual BS. You’ll come back to a community of people who respect you. And that’s a community worth investing your energy in.
So let this be the message you need to step back and start setting boundaries for your biz once and for all. You deserve them.
Boundaries Make You a Better Entrepreneur, Periodt
Okay, so I could go on and on about why setting boundaries makes you more powerful. But do you know what else we have to discuss, Podcast Trappers?
Boundaries are an opportunity for you to scale your business.
Let me explain. When I got burnt out in my business, I was basically working seven days a week. Okay, literally 24/7/365. It was too much. I stepped back and looked at my business with fresh eyes.
I asked myself, what can I do to make this last? How can I eliminate some of this overwhelm?
That’s when I really started honing the systems we use at Adode Media. Sure, I had some things in place before. I had a few contractors. But I realized that I needed a more expansive team. I needed to hire people that I trust enough to delegate tasks to.
I also began implementing even easier systems in my business! From easy payment to a task management tool, things at Adode started to look streamlined af. Automated reminders were put in place. Everything got a lot more organized.
When I automated and delegated, I began to enjoy my business so much more!
Now, I take Fridays off. I also try to slip away for at least a half day during the week to practice my self-care, get my nails done, meet a friend for coffee, etcetera. Regardless of what I’m up to, I am out.of.office. And it gets easier and easier to step away! One of these days, I might even take a real vacation. That’s on my goal list.
Since I’m not frazzled and stressed all the time, I’m a better entrepreneur and community builder. I highly recommend that you ask yourself what boundaries and systems you can put in place to protect your time and your sanity!
Beware of the “Could You Just”
It’s one thing to set boundaries as an entrepreneur. Some of us find it easy, and some of us struggle. But when you’re a community builder, it’s extra hard.
I started Blk Pod Collective to bring people together, and I love this community so much! But let me share something honest with you: When you’re a community builder, people expect to have access to you, all the time.
I don’t say this to be negative! I’m just being real.
I often receive messages from people who are frustrated with me. They say things like, wow, I messaged you two days ago and you’re ignoring me!
These messages usually begin with something like…Could You Just. Could You Just do this thing for me? Could You Just help me with this thing? Could You Just set aside your boundaries about this one thing this one time?
Think about it. You’ve probably gotten a Could You Just message recently.
On top of the subject matter of these messages, there’s also the fact that there are just so many ways for people to reach out to you.
There are like a hundred different methods of communication. There’s email, text, phone, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp, okay, I could go on. But my point is, checking them all would be an unpaid full time job. No thank you!
If you feel overwhelmed by the different ways people contact you, I have some advice for you. Choose one. Or choose a couple. But don’t choose to check them all. That will drive you to the brink of quitting, I swear.
Tell everyone your preferred method of communication and don’t let people bully you into thinking you need to be available all the time. They might be annoyed with you, but people respect those who respect themselves.
And if they don’t, well, you don’t need to work with them.
Boundaries can look like…
Boundaries can look different for everyone. But let’s talk about what your boundaries could be!
You should choose which days you are off work every week, and stick to them. You should stop giving all your time away for free-ninety-nine.
You can choose a preferred method of communication, and enforce it.
You can protect your energy, time and sanity by delegating and hiring a team. You can implement easy systems in your business by using task managers like Airtable or Asana. You can simplify your life.
You can take a break if you need it. You don’t owe everyone everything!
And you have to stop trying to please everybody, because you never will.
Setting these boundaries will make you a powerful, capable, effective entrepreneur and Podcast Trapper.
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