By: Sway/OL Buckley
What do you think of when you think of boundaries?
Perhaps, your mind automatically goes to physical or professional boundaries in the workplace.
Have you ever met someone for the first time, and they stood too close?
One of the factors of boundaries is familiarity. Generally, the more we know someone, the more "okay" we become with them in our personal space. In business building, boundaries are everything. Boundaries serve a few essential functions.
First, boundaries are a sign of self-respect. Additionally, boundaries are a sign of clear priorities. Usually, where there are no boundaries, there's a lack of self-respect, and people know we're not focused.
Second, boundaries are a sign of respect for others. Lacking personal boundaries will cause us to disregard the boundaries of others. I worked for an entrepreneur who had strict boundaries for himself. He didn't text the team after a particular hour because he didn't want us to text him after a specific hour. Self-awareness promotes a healthy team culture as you two build the business together.
Lastly, boundaries are a sign of focus. I have a friend who was intensely focused back in the day. I used to be annoyed about his level of focus and just thought this brother was over the top. He lived his high school life like he was a marine or something. I would hang out late (super late) despite having to go to work or take class early in the morning. He didn't.
I'll admit, even though he was slightly younger, his boundaries were more mature than mine. Eventually, he went on to Morehouse College and then Harvard University. Our backgrounds were similar, but he was more focused than me then.
While I thought of his boundaries as unnecessary-this guy accomplished great things in academia.
Later, I saw how all the successful people I admired had clear boundaries. I learned that it wasn't simply so they could control distractions, but so they control themselves. What I'm getting at is that boundaries are a sign of self-control.
Even married entrepreneurs need boundaries. Building a business doesn't automatically come with borders, but as leaders, our teams and customers depend on us having boundaries. Moreover, building a legacy requires we have these.
If you're a marriedpreneur couple seeking to implement boundaries that promote productivity and help you optimize your time and guard against distractions, start with our free Marriepreneur Checklist here.
Here's to living purposefully, powerfully, and profitably in sync,
O.L. & Sway
O.L. is a former banker turned real estate consultant and entrepreneur. Sway is a former CEO of a staffing firm she started on her dorm room floor to pay for college. Together they co-own Marriedpreneur Life Consultancy, equipping faith-based married entrepreneur couples with high-level systems to scale (without strain). They're the creators of the Marriedpreneur Operating Systems and the co-hosts of The Marriedprenuer Life Podcast, which was praised as one of Wedding Wire's top relationship podcasts. Learn more at MarriedpreneurLife.com.