Setting Boundaries With Work as a Self-Employed Person

Discipline is important, but so is balance.

Yesterday, my best friend came to visit me. We dressed up, went out to a cafe, and talked endlessly about movies and books.

I had five items on my to-do list.

Guess how many of them I crossed off? ZERO!

Yes, I got absolutely no work done, and I enjoyed every moment of the day.

But do you know something?

Taking breaks wasn’t always so easy

A few months back, if you told me I’d spend a full day not doing any work, I would be super stressed.

You see, when you’re self-employed, every hour you spend in front of the computer screen means you can earn more money and get better opportunities for yourself.

Until a few months back, I was so obsessed with working all the time and hitting all my deadlines, that taking time out for myself felt like I was cheating on my dreams.

I said no to every get-together, refused to meet old friends when they were in town, and spent months without watching any movie or series.

Dedication vs balance

To an outsider, this might sound like dedication, but inside, I was miserable.

I didn’t know how much of a toll this was taking on my health when one day, things just collapsed. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t work even a little. It was as if my brain and body forced me to take a break.

I couldn’t work for three weeks straight. After that, I learned the hard way that working constantly is never healthy, no matter how passionate you are about your job.

Taking breaks is essential, and setting strict boundaries with your work is the only way to stay sane and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

You deserve a break

And so, yesterday when my friend came over, I shut my laptop and didn’t even think about work. My tasks were unfinished, but I can do them today (but it’s a Sunday, so I’ll probably do them tomorrow)!

Success depends on discipline, but balance is also important. Without balance, you might see results, but if you’re not healthy, what use is earning thousands of dollars every month?

Here’s your reminder to take a break. Trust me, you deserve it.

What’s something you did or are planning to do for yourself this weekend that’s not related to work? Let me know in the comments.

Working less and still earning more is one of the aspects I cover in my FREE course on being a highly paid writer. It launches on October 14, so join the wait-list today: Anangsha’s FREE course on being a highly paid writer