GNT #021: 5 Boundaries Every Growth-Builder Needs

Read time: 4.5 minutes

So you've got an idea that you're passionate about.

And you're ready to grow in your role or your business?

That's awesome!

We could talk growth-building strategies all day, but there's one thing that's even more important.

Your sanity.

I love this quote from Ryan Holiday and have it written on a post-it at my desk (with a little Colleen edit). 😉

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"Be quiet <humble>, work hard, and stay healthy.
It's not ambition or skill that is going to set you apart, but sanity."

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Part of being a growth-builder (as a business owner or an employee) means finding productive and healthy ways to grow for the long-game.

The truth is -- driven and futuristic minds are at real risk of burnout.

Your ability to create growth and impact the world for the better is dependent on... your sanity.

And if you're a recovering "YES" to everything person like me, you know it's YOUR job, and no one else's, to figure out how to create boundaries to support your sanity.

If you don't, you might end up hating what you were so passionate about, risking your health, and impacting your personal life. 

But don't stress.

We've got this. 

It's all about boundaries.

Here are 5 boundaries every ambitious growth-builder needs.

1. Create calendar boundaries

This year I've gotten serious about time-blocking to establish boundaries for the different things I'm working on, but also to create better boundaries between my work life and personal life.

Time-blocking = scheduling out time on my calendar for specific priority work, checking email, breaks, and exercise.

I also started scheduling these three essential meetings each week to keep me from going off the rails.

For example, from 8:00am - 8:30am you'll typically see me interacting on LinkedIn, sharing ideas, responding to comments, etc.

I'm in my email from 8:30am - 8:50am answering high priority email.

From 8:50am - 9:00am I'm up from my desk for a stretch break.

My deep work typically happens from 9:00am-11:00am. During that time I'm using the Pomodoro Method for focused work on my highest priority items with breaks.

I'm back in my email from 11:00am - 11:45am.

But at 11:45am, I grab my gym bag and I'm off to work out. I'm not stuck in my email or LinkedIn

This is MY schedule that helps me stay focused and not end up in rabbit holes.

What could time blocking look like in your work day?

2. Creating boundaries with your responsibilities

For a long time I struggled with saying no when someone asked me for help.

I found myself constantly taking on more and more responsibilities, often without considering their true significance.

As someone driven by a desire to help others both professionally and personally, this was not easy to overcome.

I'm still working on it.

But I realized that by allowing myself to take on too much, I was impacting my ability to help others long-term because I was burning myself out in the process.

Learning to clarify my priorities and scope, and confidently say no when appropriate, allows me to protect my sanity.

What do your responsibility boundaries look like professionally and personally?

3. Mental and physical health boundaries

I mentioned hitting the gym at 11:45am. That was not always the case.

I, and I think many others, have neglected their mental and physical health for an obsession with business growth.

Hunching over the computer from sunrise to sunset, believing every email or to-do is 100% urgent.

Continually borrowing from your personal or family time with no way to pay it back.

That is not sustainable.

It's your job to create the boundaries you need for mental and physical health -- so you can keep doing your important work long-term.

For me, this means:

- Blocking time over my lunch to workout.
- Prioritizing good, restful sleep, and not working right before bed.
- Identifying stressful moments, and taking a pause to breathe deeply.
- Planning time for stretching and movement during deep work sessions.
- Stepping back from commitments that don't align with my values and goals.
- Taking the time to organize my goals, priorities, and to-dos so I can separate from work.

What do mental and physical health boundaries look like for you - so you can feel your best and do your best work?

Also, here are some ideas on how to stay active while working at a desk.

4. Social media boundaries

We use social media as a powerful tool for growth.

However, it comes with many downsides.

Addiction, fake dopamine, time/productivity drain, the list goes on...

Our job is to "contain" social media to reap the growth benefits - and minimize the downsides.

How do we do this?

Here's what works for me:

- Time-block social media engagement time.
- Time-block social media content creation time.
- Use a scheduling tool to bulk post my content each week.

What does your current social media time look like? 

4. The boundary of 'enough'

I had coffee with my peer, Amy, the other morning and we were talking about how marketers, business owners, and growth-builders are specifically at risk for mental health issues and burnout...

... because we are always striving for more.

More segmentation.
More subscribers.
More web visits.
More research.
More empathy.
More content.
More events.
More views.
More leads.
More sales.

More times than I can count I've found myself trapped in a cycle of driving for more, even above and beyond goals, without acknowledging what truly constituted as 'enough.'

During these times I didn't truly appreciate the present or savor the journey itself.

It was a struggle to find contentment and recognize the milestones I had already achieved.

An essential boundary for every ambitious growth-builder is defining what 'enough' means to them.

Setting this boundary allows us to protect our sanity, and find an imperfect harmony between progress and enjoying the process.

Have you defined what 'enough' is for you?
 

Takeaway

Boundaries are essential for growth-builders to keep sane for the long-game.

It doesn't mean you care less, in fact, in means you care more.

Because without boundaries, we run the risk of burning out and checking out.

If you create real boundaries for your calendar, responsibilities, health, social media, and what is 'enough' - you've got a great shot at making your new passion a reality.

I hope this article was helpful. 

See you again next Thursday!



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