Select the best response to the statement below:

As a solo entrepreneur, setting boundaries is all about?.

a. Having a conversation with the neighbor after she takes your parking space.

b. Telling the kids what time to go to bed on a school night.

c. Reminding friends and family to not drop by when you're working from Home.

d. Requesting that agenda in advance if you need it to be more productive.

If you answered, "all of the above," you've mastered the first step in understanding boundaries and their impact on you.

Setting boundaries means communicating your needs to those around you. It requires knowing how to define what is important to you and respectfully articulating those limits to everyone in all aspects of your life and work relationships. Predicated on win-win solutions, boundaries also allow others to figure out what they need in working around the parameters you've declared.

As a solo entrepreneur, it's hugely important to set healthy limits for yourself to keep your energy high, to ensure projects remain cool and fun, AND to ensure the ultimate success of your work.

This e-article demonstrates how boundary setting is essential, especially for solo entrepreneurs, and offers insights and techniques to help establish healthy limits in life and work relationships.

healthy Control

When you get right down to it, setting boundaries is about control. Yes, this is when it's appropriate to be a control freak!

Establishing healthy boundaries is like creating a bubble around yourself where you are in charge of everything coming in and out of the bubble.

Here's what you are controlling as a solo entrepreneur:

- The work you choose. Is it fun or tedious?

- The people with whom you'll work. Don't act like you still have a boss and there is no choice!

- The amount of time you'll spend on something. Starting to resent work? Don't blame others - set your boundaries!

- The ways you invest your time. Hate weekly, unproductive meetings? Say so!

- What people say and do to you. Stop any behavior that is offensive or abusive.

- Factors critical to your success. Ask for more time so you don't stay up all night working to meet unreasonable deadlines.

We're talking healthy control here. Boundary setting is NOT about controlling the behavior of others. It IS about how you choose to respond (not react) to the behavior of others.

For example, if you need a specific action or piece of work to happen and people aren't doing it - trying to make them do it is not setting a boundary - it's trying to control their behavior. And that, my friends, is definitely NOT cool.

Unhealthy Boundaries

I've heard several conversations lately that lead me to believe people aren't setting good boundaries.

"You're not giving me the space to disagree."

"I have 3 clients who are late paying me."

"I'm reluctant to grow my Business because it means possibly taking on clients I don't enjoy just to get the money coming in."

Sound familiar?

Failing to set healthy boundaries as demonstrated by these examples can result in loss of income, energy, opportunity and ultimately success.

How to Avoid Setting Boundary Traps

I don't always know the exact cause, but I can guess why some people don't set healthy boundaries and offer simple suggestions for avoiding such a fate.

A word of caution: Don't struggle or go it alone in tackling these obstacles. It may require deeper understanding and inter

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