What’s on the iPod: The Last Time by Taylor Swift ft. Gary Lightbody
I thought I’d have a nicely paced week, have time to research for an article, take time to work on a larger project, and get to some personal projects. That was Monday at 9 am. By 11 am, I was deep in the middle of a need-it-this-week set of projects. Normally, I wouldn’t panic, but I’m not in on Friday. In fact, I’ll be on vacation.
Shift into high gear.
Despite an upcoming vacation and the client’s extremely tight deadline, I was able to get an extra day to complete everything. I may not need it, but I asked for it just to be safe. Better to let them know up front than beg for it at the eleventh hour.
It’s all part of setting professional boundaries. Writers, we’re not so good at that, are we? It’s partly fear of not getting the gig, partly fear that we’ll have to confront someone, partly fear that we don’t really know how to say “no” effectively.
So how do you set your writerly boundaries? Here’s how I set mine:
Insert reality. I could have not said anything, canceled my vacation (again), and worked through the late nights to get things done. Realistically? I can’t handle that. I need a vacation. My brain gives up at 4 pm. I can’t physically, emotionally, or realistically overextend any more than I already am.
Identify your non-negotiable items. Maybe you won’t work for less than $100 an hour, or maybe you won’t work for people who expect on-site visits every two weeks. Whatever is a deal-breaker for you, write it down. Right next to it, map out your most appropriate response when these situations are facing you.
Make rules for yourself. It’s easy to say “I won’t work weekends” but much harder to enforce if your favorite writing client hadn’t just called with a need-it-now request. It’s okay to say “I can’t” if you have that rule for everyone. Make some sensible rules, like how long each day you’ll work before breaking or quitting for the day. These are your company policies. Don’t break them unless there’s a very, very good reason.
Remember you’re respecting yourself. If only we writers remembered that more often, we’d have less trouble stating what we need or what we can/cannot do. If it doesn’t make you happy or it adds too much stress to your life, don’t do it.
Writers, how do you set boundaries? What keeps you on track and in a balanced place?
Do you ever deviate from those boundaries? If so, under what circumstances?
Leave a Reply