The perk of ownership is to do what you want with it. We set out to own things to control them by dictating how they are used, by whom, when, and how. A lot of ownership is lost when control is given to others. Such a surrender isn’t always as obvious as the handing over of a physical object. Sometimes it is subtle and not realized for long periods of time. I’m here to sound the alarm, make a fuss, and wake you up! The remedy is boundaries. I want to share 4 key areas you will experience more freedom and ownership, should you apply and reinforce your boundaries.
Business. Most entrepreneurs go into business for themselves to have ownership of their time and earning potential, in addition to the freedom to choose who they work with and define their work/life balance. To experience that ownership and freedom, business boundaries must be defined. Here are a few examples:
- Make it clear what your business hours and business days are for the general public; just like you would on a sign for a storefront.
- Share the proper places where clients and potential clients can communicate and share documents with you.
- Declare your scope of work so that it is clear what you are to be doing and sometimes it is best to state what is not included, as well as establish deadlines and consequences for missing deadlines.
Creativity. When you think of creativity, most of you think of art, music, and other humanities. But think of your gifts and purpose. Most likely you are good at whatever that gift and purpose is because somehow do it differently than others. Maybe you take more care in doing it. Maybe you take a different route when doing it. Whatever difference you sprinkle on it, is your creativity. Creativity needs certain circumstances, atmospheres, and conditions upon which it is best performed. To own your creativity, you must create boundaries protecting the energy you need to perform your best. Try these:
- Designate a space most conducive for your creativity. No matter what your gift or purpose is, it deserves a “studio” set up to inspire your best performance.
- Protect the time you are to create by not giving that prime time to others. Do not allow for unscheduled interruptions.
- Whatever process you need for your creative output, do not allow others to rush it.
Living Life. Our life is literally made up of the decisions we make and the actions we take; not the dreams we have. It is so easy to give our lives over to other people. They will make requests (sometimes demands) of your time. I want you to understand that TIME is literally and figurative LIFE (time=life). It is the one thing we cannot effectively get more of. To hold time sacred for moments worth memories (how we will remember our experience of life), you have to say “no” to others, to say “yes” to yourself. You have to be intentional with your yes. In fact, I venture to implore you to be more intentional and think of it like this: “When I say YES to others, what am I saying NO to myself for?” Think about these boundaries:
- If you want to look back on your life and know you shared in the great memories of your children, you have to say yes to time with your children and no to those things that would interrupt it.
- If you want to experience other cultures and see the world, you have to say yes to travel and no to more things that would get in the way of travel.
- If you want to feel the excitement of doing new things, you have to say yes to new opportunities that lead to new things and no to doing the same things over and over again.
Peace Of Mind. In this day and time, mental health is being taken more seriously and tools like therapy are becoming more mainstream. The biggest single tool you have at your disposal to protect your peace of mind is setting boundaries. THEY don’t know how their want fits into the whole of your day or your life and how you just may not have it in you at that particular time. No one in your life knows the totality of things weighing on YOU like YOU:
- not your loved ones asking for favors they deem small,
- not your clients asking for just a quick meeting (that is never quick),
- not your children rushing to spend time with you as soon as you come through the door for work, etc…
So, it is YOUR responsibility to limit access when YOUR mind needs a rest. Own your peace by setting boundaries.
If you need support with creating your CEOLifeDesign™ that will address boundaries that promote making money AND creating time freedom, let’s talk. It’s FREE. ShaCannon.info/talk