A client of mine used to text me at 09:00 pm to update me on the next day’s activities and I allowed it the first three times. When I noticed it was becoming a habit, I knew I had to do something. We have all had moments where we have been disrespected, especially when there are no clear boundary in place. But in what ways can you set boundaries with your freelance clients? Or how do you set healthy boundaries with your clients without loosing them?
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve had ‘that client’ – the one who texts you at midnight or treats you like their 24/7 employee. In my 4 years of freelancing, I can tell you confidently that you do not have to put up with it.
This post is not just for freelancers – if you are a content creator or service provider that deals with clients, this is for you too.
Setting boundaries with freelance clients not only protects you from burnouts or exhaustion, it ensures that you maintain your motivation to build a sustainable freelance career.
Further reading: Freelancing tips for freelancers
Let’s look at this further:
IN WHAT WAYS CAN YOU SET BOUNDARIES WITH YOUR CLIENTS?
- Use a contract or agreement
- Set your expectations early
- Learn to say no or renegotiate
- Communicate only on working hours
- Use tools to set boundaries
- Make reference to your contract
- Avoid bad clients
But first, why is it important for you to set boundaries as a freelancer.
Think of boundaries as a ‘loving fence’ – it doesn’t trap anyone, but it tells people outside it that ‘this is my space. Please recognize that’. When you set boundaries with your clients, it protects your mental health so that you can give your best.
Let’s just say: you cannot pour from an empty cup and you can only give what you have. If you’re feeling stressed or at your wit’s end with a client, you won’t be able to do your best work.
Setting healthy boundaries as a freelancer or content creator is important because it gives you the respect you deserve. It teaches your client, not just to respect you, but to value your time and skills.
Aside that, setting healthy boundaries with your clients will protect you from unfair pricing, working with bad clients, and loosing your sanity.
Further reading: 6 Must-Haves Before You Start Freelancing
If you want to protect yourself, your image (as a content creator), and your business, here are several ways to set boundaries with your clients:
1. Use a contract or agreement
I cannot say this enough: your contract is your shield so wear it as a mantle (I’m kidding☺). It doesn’t matter the size of the job, how simple it is, if it they’re your friends, or you automatically form a bond with the client – always use a contract.
For the purpose of this post, your contract or agreement should contain:
- The scope of the work you are doing
- Payment terms (due dates and late fees)
- Your preferred method and time for communication
- Delivery time
- Number of maximum revisions, if applicable
- Terms for extra charges (especially if they exceed the allowed number of revisions)
If you are a content creator who needs to set clear boundaries with your clients or brands, your agreement should cover:
- Usage rights
- Perpetuity
- Grounds for severance
- Exclusivity clauses
- Payment terms
And any other clause that protects you and your work. Bonsai has a plethora of contract templates on any niche. If you live in France, I recommend using the templates on the French Government page – Service Public.
2. Set your expectations early
Yes, you have made your point in your contract but, in many cases, you need to reiterate them. When you work with a client, especially a new client, they need to know how, when, and if they need to reach you.
'If they need to reach you' depends on the urgency of the project. But if you have agreed on a deadline and are working towards it, they don't need to call you by 01:00 am.
Set a clear working time and stick to it. If you can, create an automatic offline message that the client receives when they contact you during off hours.
Discuss rules for revision and set the maximum number of revisions allowed before you charge an extra fee. Imagine a client called you in the middle of the work and says, ‘I just thought of another way to make the design’. Tell him/her to hold on until the revisions.
If they exceed the allowed number of revisions, make sure to remind them. Example, ‘Maximum of 2 revision is allowed, then $10 for each extra revision’.
This way, you have time to do the work effectively and you will be less stressed. So, set your expectations from the beginning of the project and stick to it.
3. Learn to say no or renegotiate
Personally, I believe that I can renegotiate the terms of a contract before saying an outright ‘no’. One of the ways to set boundaries with your client is to be assertive – don’t be afraid to say NO.
Here’s a fact: Having worked 4 years as a freelancer, every freelancer or content creator will always try to accommodate the client’s needs initially. Then, if both parties find it difficult to make an agreement, the freelancer or content creator can try renegotiate the terms of the contract in order to find a common ground. When that doesn’t work again, you are free to politely decline.
I remember when Jackie Aina talked about how a retail brand wanted her exclusivity on a collaboration but the terms of agreement was not okay for her. She also pointed out that, although the financial settlement was fair to her, their demand was something she could not work with.
For me, that is a way to protect yourself from anything that doesn’t align with you. While we try to be assertive without loosing the client, we should also not be afraid to say NO.
This way, you set a clear boundary that protects you, your image, and your freelance business.
4. Communicate only on working hours
Trust me, some clients will test you and your patience. Some will even expect you to be at their beck and call like an employee. It’s up to you decide how you want to be treated.
One of the powerful ways to set boundaries with your client is to communicate only during your work hours. Even if you see the notification, don’t respond to messages outside your work hours.
To make it easy for you, just set u an auto-reply:
Hi there/Bonjour, I’m currently offline and will respond during my working hours (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM). Thank you for your understanding!”
This is a perfect example of client boundaries for freelancers.
Affirming your working hours teaches the client to respect your time and the agreement.
5. Use tools to set boundaries
In my 4 years of freelancing for businesses and start-ups, remote tools have been a great way for me to set boundaries with my clients, especially with time.
Let me explain:
If you are a designer, programmer or developer, your time is an asset. So, to make sure that you are not consistently going over your work hours, you can use tools to track your time. Tools like Clockify will help you stay aware of your time and generate a time sheet for a task, while Slack will help you stay online or in communication with your client during your work hours.
Using remote management or freelance client management tools is one of the powerful ways to set boundaries with your clients and prevent burnout. These tools will help track time spent on each project or client and let you know if your rates need adjusting.
When you use tools to set clear boundaries, clients start to understand that the more time a task takes, the more it costs. And the better for you.
Further reading: 12+ Hard Truths About Freelancing
6. Make reference to your contract
One day, a former client of mine sent me a text at 07:32 am and asked me to log in immediately to cover-up for a sick employee. First, she ignored the terms in my contract, and secondly, she was not in my schedule for that day.
I told her that I will not be doing that because she just contacted me barely 2 hours before my work time. She blew up and said I disrespected her when she needed me the most.
To avoid any drama, I made a reference to a clause in my contract:
"In the event of emergencies or last-minute changes, the client must provide a minimum of 12 to 24 hours’ notice to the freelancer. Any requests made outside this notice period may not be accommodated".
Of course, she tried to defend herself but I knew it was bully tactic and made sure not to respond any other texts from her concerning the contract. Needless to say, she understood she was wrong and asked me to do a task the next day. By doing this, I set up a boundary with her and she respected that.
So, when a client pushes their limit, don’t be afraid to defend yourself. Be quick to reference your contract because it’s your safety net. Even if they threaten to sue or call you out, use your contract too. If they pretend that their actions were not stated in the contract because they didn’t read it, that’s on them!
Be calm, collected, professional, and stick to the plan – your contract. By doing this, you create solid boundaries with your clients, current and future, and save yourself from any headaches.
7. Avoid bad clients
One of the most effective ways to set boundaries with clients is to simply avoid them. But how do you avoid bad clients?
Screen them! Yes, clients can be screened too!
Discovery calls are not just meant for chit-chat and discussing the project. It also allows you to interact with the client and determine if they are right for you.
Just like first dates! 😉
Based on my past experiences, avoid clients with these traits:
- Clients that pressure you
- Clients that bully you
- Clients that pay late (unapologetically)
A combination of these three is a NO and having a client with one of these traits is not a good sign either.
To protect yourself from the beginning, always start with a one-month or short term contract, then build up from there, if everything goes well. This way, you can end the contract politely and create time for other clients that treat you better.
Life is too short to be unhappy with a client!
CONCLUSION
Some people struggle with being assertive and setting boundaries, not because they can’t, but because they fear it would hurt the other party. Meanwhile, the other party wants what they want regardless of your feelings.
The fact is that clients, good or bad, will treat you the way you allow them to. It is up to you to protect yourself from anything that doesn’t serve you well. Without boundaries, your best clients could even be a thorn in your flesh and you might end up resenting them.
Setting boundaries with difficult freelance clients sometimes feels like saying no – no to any inconveniences that doesn’t fit your schedule or the deeds of the contract.
But the truth is, in all communications and interactions, a good freelancer will always be polite and courteous. Be firm, yet polite, and communicate your words clearly.
A client that values your work and skills will respect your boundaries and work with you effortlessly. So, don’t be afraid to set boundaries with your clients and say NO if needed.
What are the ways you set boundaries for your clients? We are eager to learn!
