It was a Friday evening…time to relax.

The sun was still out, shining onto the back garden, filling it with a blaze of hazy colour.

I’d just opened a bottle of white wine and put some music on in the kitchen while I prepared some food.

As the pot on the stove bubbled with water, ready for some fresh pasta, I took a sip of my wine, thinking about the weekend stretching out ahead…

Then I noticed an alert pop on my phone.

I clicked on it to reveal an email from a student… a long and VERY detailed query written out in an urgent tone.

My heart sank.

Not because I don’t like to hear from my students…

But because I instantly get this over-powering obligation to reply RIGHT AWAY.

Now, in the past, I’d not have been able to help myself…

I’d have started typing out a reply on my phone, or dashed to the computer in my office so that I could use the keyboard and easily check my notes.

The wine would get warm in the sun…

The pot of boiling water would bubble to almost nothing…

My husband and kids would sit there, wondering where I’d gone…

By the time I returned, my head would be full of thoughts about my response and whether I’d helped enough, and what else I could do…

Then this might happen AGAIN later that night while I was watching telly or reading…

And then it might happen AGAIN on a Saturday morning.

So instead of resting on my weekend, or spending time with my family, I’d end up working.

I’d start feeling annoyed and ask myself…

“WHY ON EARTH do people always wait till these awkward times to send their queries?”

It started to get silly, really.

I’d become completely hooked to my phone alerts, and obsessed with answering every business message from clients, co-workers and students right away.

I reminded myself the reasons I started my business in the first place and that I had a family that needed and deserved my time and attention.

So something had to change.

Now, I know that this issue might worry new course creators who want to earn an income without having to work every hour of the day – and who don’t want to be ‘on call’ at all times.

After all, the whole point of a course is that you can set it up and let it run while you get on with other things, right?

The short answer is – you don’t have to!

You see, once I realised the extent of my problem, I put in place some boundaries that have really helped me get a proper break from my business whenever I need one.

So I wanted to share them with you in case you found them useful.

Oh, and full credit to Denise Duffield Thomas…

It was through her boundaries online training that I started learning to be clear about all this, so hats off to her!

How to Enjoy More Freedom in Your Home Business

First of all, think of the reason you started up as a consultant, coach or course creator (or why you WANT to start up as one, if you haven’t yet already!).

I’m guessing that as well as the profits it can bring, a big motivator is freedom?

By that, I mean being able to choose your working hours and decide when you want time off so that you can have more freedom.

Because the alternative is that you remain working for a demanding boss, with responsibilities to be in the office, or on call, whenever it is demanded by your contract.

The problem is…

If you are always responding to messages and queries, night and day, then you have LESS freedom than in a regular job.

In fact, you are letting a few students become your most demanding boss ever! 😉

So the secret is…

Stop playing the game!

Be clear on what your service hours are and stick to them.

For instance, you could decide on a cut-off point of 5pm each day, after which you turn off email alerts and don’t look at them again until the next week day.

Or it could be that you prefer to spend the day doing something else and work every evening from 6pm-9pm, which is when you check emails and reply to them – so from 9am-5pm each day you are devoted to other commitments.

Or, like me, you might simply want to enjoy your weekends, free of ‘work’ so you pick things up again on a Monday.

Whatever you decide, make it clear on your autoresponder what your service hours are (and don’t forget to turn it on – I sometimes do!).

And don’t blame your student or customer if they email you at awkward times outside of those hours. It’s not them – it’s you!

They are (usually) just writing that email to you on a Friday evening or a Saturday evening because that’s the time that works for them.

They might not be expecting an immediate reply.

And also remember….

Don’t Worry!

Here’s what happened when I started putting boundaries in place and NOT answering emails at the weekend.

Nothing.

No one panicked.

Nobody got cross.

Instead, I was a lot more focussed on my replies – and able to give much better levels of help – after I’d had a proper rest at the weekend.

And here’s the thing….

I’m willing to accept that, one day, someone will get annoyed because I didn’t answer an email over the weekend – and that’s fine – that’s on them. I have never ever suggested I will work weekends and respond to queries out of normal working hours.

That’s not the sort of home business I want to run, and they are not the sort of student I want, so I can just let them go.

Saying that, I’m trying to be a better-behaved student myself with courses and services I follow!

If I have a pressing question or email to send, I’ll do a delayed send on it (easy to do with gmail) so it doesn’t arrive at some unsociable hour in someone’s inbox.

Because (and here’s the truth) even when you DO have boundaries in place, you’ll still get a sinking feeling when that email arrives in your inbox and you get that natural urge to reply immediately and I don’t want to do that to other course creators or service providers.

Oh, and don’t think this only applies to high-level clients.

I’ve occasionally had students who have purchased a £19 mini course who are far more demanding than customers who’ve paid thousands.

Anyway, I hope this advice helps.

I’m not suggesting you don’t serve your clients, students and customers the best way possible.

But I AM suggesting you respect your right to take a proper break!