Setting Boundaries for Better Work-Life Balance

I spent a decade sacrificing everything for my first company (health, family, even my honeymoon). Now, as a dad of three, I'm building my 2nd company completely differently. Here's how: == I used to work 16-hour days, weekends, and holidays. Now? • I work 8-5. • I don’t work weekends. • I take a month-long family trip every summer. Here’s how I made it happen: == 1. Redefine success. During my first startup, success meant hustle and hyper-growth at any cost. Now, success is about building a business that: • Lasts 50+ years. • Stays profitable from day one. • Protects my health and relationships. == 2. Set non-negotiable boundaries. I made a rule when I started @useonward: I work 8-5, Monday through Friday. That’s it. Busyness is no longer a badge of honor. Setting boundaries make you sharper, more creative, and more present as a leader. == 3. Choose a business model that aligns with your life. I picked B2B SaaS because it’s: • High-margin, low-cost, scalable. • Free from the relentless pace of retail or DTC. • Purely remote—no office, no commute. == 4. Go all-in on remote work. Tools like @loom, @NotionHQ, and @asana allow us to: • Document processes async. • Communicate clearly & concisely. • Build process & systems that run without me. The goal? A business that doesn’t depend on me 24/7. == 5. Optimize for longevity, not burnout. During my first company, there were no days off. Now, it’s about properly integrating family & work. Take the long family trip - empower your team but stay on top things. Burnout isn’t proof of dedication. It’s a leadership failure. == 6. Give yourself permission to build differently. The old me would’ve called these boundaries lazy. But here’s the truth: boundaries make you better. The goal isn’t to grind endlessly. It’s to create a company that works for you—not the other way around. == Building a startup doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your health, family, or happiness. Follow Josh Payne for lessons on scaling profitably, creating balance, and building a business you love.

How I Preserve My Sanity as a Program Manager at Amazon When I first started as a program manager at Amazon, I thought the key to success was being available 24/7 and saying “yes” to everything. It didn’t take long to realize that approach wasn’t sustainable. Setting boundaries became essential—not just for me, but for my cross-functional partners as well. Here’s what’s helped me: 1️⃣ Be Clear About Priorities It’s easy to get pulled in every direction. Now, when a new request comes in, I take a step back and evaluate it against current priorities. If it doesn’t align, I explain why or outline what trade-offs would be required. Being upfront ensures everyone is focused on what truly matters. 2️⃣ Protect Focus Time I used to let my calendar fill up with back-to-back meetings, leaving no room for deep work. Now, I block focus time and let my partners know that’s when I tackle the bigger, strategic tasks. It’s made a huge difference in my productivity. 3️⃣ Empower Cross-Functional Partners I used to feel like I needed to be involved in every decision. Over time, I’ve learned to trust my partners to take ownership in their areas. Empowering them not only speeds up progress but also strengthens our collaboration. 4️⃣ Communicate Clearly and Consistently Boundaries only work if everyone’s on the same page. I make sure to align on responsibilities, timelines, and deliverables early. Clear communication helps avoid misunderstandings and builds stronger relationships. Setting boundaries isn’t about doing less—it’s about making space to focus on what matters most. It’s been a game-changer for my work and my collaborations. How do you set boundaries in your role? #Leadership #ProgramManagement #Amazon #WorkLifeBalance

Stop apologizing for setting boundaries at work. Stand firm with these 15 moves: I spent (many) years apologizing for needing focused work time, taking earned vacations, and saying no to draining commitments. Until I realized: Setting boundaries isn't about being difficult - it's about teaching people how to value you. Here are the exact scripts that changed everything: 1. Setting healthy boundaries in high-pressure environments ↳Use calendar color-coding to signal focus time vs. collaborative hours 2. Taking their full vacation time to prevent burnout ↳Schedule mini-breaks leading up to longer vacations for smoother transitions 3. Disconnecting completely during personal time ✨ ↳Designate a shutdown ritual (close all tabs, clear desk...) to end the work day 4. Declining meetings without clear agendas ↳Offer weekly Office Hours as an alternative to ad-hoc meetings 5. Asking for compensation that matches their value ↳Document revenue generated + costs saved by your work 6. Speaking up about unrealistic deadlines ↳Develop metrics based on past projects to accurately predict timelines 7. Prioritizing mental health over hustle culture ↳Create (and use!) quiet spaces designated for quick mental breaks. Lead by example here ✨ 8. Saying no to unpaid extra responsibilities ↳Try: "Thanks for thinking of me, let's discuss the value exchange" 9. Leaving toxic work environments without guilt ↳Write a Clean Exit memo for yourself - focus on your future plans, not past problems 10. Requiring work-life integration that works for them ↳Create Life-First Blocks, and schedule personal commitments before work ones (I do this every Sunday) 11. Standing firm on their expertise in meetings ↳Start responses with "Based on my experience handling X similar situations..." 🙌🏼 12. Taking time to think before committing to projects ↳Consider: "Would I want this on my plate a month from now?" 13. Protecting their team from unnecessary stress ↳Ask "Is this urgent, important, or interesting?" for every new task 14. Choosing growth over comfort zones ↳Design mini experiments to test new approaches and build confidence 15. Leading with empathy instead of authority ↳Spend 2 hrs monthly doing your team's most challenging tasks - share what you learn as a group ✨ Your boundaries are a blueprint for how you deserve to be treated. No apologies needed. Which boundary can you work on setting this week (without apologizing)? -- ♻️ Repost to boost your network's confidence 🔔 Follow me Dr. Carolyn Frost for daily insights on building confidence & setting powerful boundaries

🩷 Does your “yes” feel like "self-betrayal?" YOU DON’T HAVE A BURNOUT PROBLEM. YOU HAVE A BOUNDARY PROBLEM. My recent client’s calendar was like a Tetris grid. She complained that she is always “on” because she’s a team player. She struggles with being valued vs. being available. Sounds familiar? Roughly 3 in 4 employees, according to surveys, report experiencing burnout at least sometimes; about 1 in 4 say they experience it “very often” or “always.” I disagree that burnout is an occupational reality of a chronic, digital “infinite workdays.” Here’s the inconvenient truth: burnout isn’t a personal failure, and we cannot blame it solely on work cultures. Smart people compromise their boundaries because they believe: • “Personal boundaries = being selfish.” Reality: boundaries are how you stay useful, productive, and human. • “Saying no = hurts my career.” Reality: chronic yes erodes quality, creativity, and trust. • “Good leaders = be always available.” Reality: access without structure creates chaos. • “If I set limits = clients will leave.” Reality: clear scope is a client’s best friend—scope creep isn’t. Here’s an alternative emotional lens: Burnout isn’t a “time/priority management problem.” It’s an emotional misalignment that accumulates into what I call "boundary debt." Each unexamined yes is a small loan against your energy, attention, values, and self-respect—with compounding interest. Under pressure, many default to the "fawn" response: “If I appease & please, I’ll be safe, respected, trusted”. This reflex shows up as over-accommodation, over-performance, and silent resentment. This state is the breeding ground for depression and anxiety, leading to numbness, irritability, or exhaustion, nudging you to change. This is where my work around "Emotional Rights" comes in. Healthy boundaries are simply the practical expression of these rights: 🎈 The Right to Need: Time, clarity, recovery, recognition—needs aren’t indulgences; if your body tightens at a request, listen. 🎈 The Right to Say “Yes/No” Freely: Consent without consequence, not coerced compliance. 🎈 The Right to Belong Without Self-Betrayal: You don’t have to appease to be included. 🎈 The Right to Rest and Restore: Recovery is a performance foundation, not a reward. 🎈 The Right to Choose and Re-Choose: Priorities shift; boundaries should, too. Boundary setting script to help you (steal these): • MANAGER: “To deliver X with the quality you expect, I’ll need to pause Y until Monday. Which should we deprioritize?” • PARTNER: “I want to help, and I’m at capacity tonight. I can do drop-off tomorrow morning.” • CLIENT: “That’s outside our agreed scope. I can add it as a Phase 2 item or prepare a change order.” What has helped you set better boundaries? DM me for a complimentary consult. Turn your struggles into strength. 🎈 Dr. Ardeshir Mehran: https://lnkd.in/gmAJZx-h 🎈 Therapy: https://lnkd.in/g-xmfm73

I lost a promotion for not being "available enough." I was already: • Working 60+ hours weekly • Answering emails at 11pm • Taking calls on weekends A month later, I quit. BEST decision ever. The "always available" trap destroys careers silently. You think your responsiveness is impressive. Your boss sees it as expected. Your peers start avoiding you. Your health deteriorates slowly. When you're always available, people assume: • Your time isn't valuable • Your work isn't important • Your skills aren't in demand Sometimes, the most valuable people are the least available. The playbook that changed everything for me: 1. Create scarcity. Block "deep work" time on your calendar. Turn notifications off. Don't apologize for focusing. 2. Set clear boundaries. I tell new clients: "I'm offline after 5pm and on weekends." This doesn't scare good clients away. It attracts clients who respect professionals. 3. Increase your standards. The most in-demand people have the strictest boundaries. Their time is protected. Their energy is protected. Their focus is protected. Here's what happened after I quit and set boundaries: • My hourly rate tripled • My client quality improved • My stress level plummeted • My work got dramatically better Because boundaries aren't selfish. They're strategic. What boundary do you need to establish today? ---- If this hit home, repost ♻️ it And give me a follow → Nick Maciag 🙌