Took my kids and their friends to breakfast this morning and remembered sitting at this booth with Hottie 20 years ago, where one of my greatest shifts in entrepreneurial boundaries happened.
[click to enlarge]
It was Friday night, after hours, and he emailed me.
When I didn’t answer he called me.
When I didn’t answer he text me.
It was at that moment I deleted emails off my phone and haven’t turned them on since. It also planted the seeds for a policy once I started my own agency that clients wouldn’t get my cell phone number.
Being available 24/7 isn’t good for anyone. Sets unrealistic expectations for your customers, and drives you crazy having no downtime. Both are recipes for poorer relationships, driving lower performance… the perfect formula for resentment and bad reputations.
Two years later I left that employer, started SEO National and have kept those policies since. I also encourage my team to do hold the same boundaries. Not only customers but with me too. Most of my team, I don’t even have their cell phone number myself.
To separate work so when they’re home they can be present with family, and when they’re at work they can be present at work.
