How to set business boundaries that protect your energy (not just your time)
Photo by Ed Phillips on Unsplash
I sit writing this on a blustery, blue sky day in the middle of school Summer holidays as I juggle focussed time on my business and quality time with my kids.
It’s a blend that I throughly enjoy, hugely appreciate and intentionally choose. And at the same time, it can come with its challenges. I find that despite time spent planning ahead, the reality isn’t always as neat or easeful as I hope and anticipate.
It reminds me that setting boundaries around what I’m willing to do and what I’m not willing to do - both when it comes to work and personal life - is not just about the time I spend on one thing or another. Moreso, it’s about setting boundaries to protect my mental and emotional energy so that I can show up fully for what matters most.
What are boundaries and why do we need them as business owners ?
I like think of boundaries as marking the container we create for ourselves - in the same way that a garden fence might mark the edges of your garden. Within your boundaries lie all of the things that are welcome in your space, outside of your boundaries are the things that aren’t (or at least not in this present moment).
Traditionally when it comes to setting boundaries, especially in business, it’s easy to think of setting boundaries around how you spend your time - what time you start your day, what time you log off and whether you choose to protect your lunch break so you can stretch your legs and grab some fresh air.
However, I think more important than time boundaries are energy boundaries. Energy boundaries are practices put in place to preserve your mental and emotional capacity, not just your time. Rather than only focussing on the time spent working, energy boundaries address how you work and what emotional load you carry.
For entrepreneurs and business owners, energy boundaries are essential because:
Your business depends on your sustained energy, not just your working hours
Emotional labour from clients, caring responsibilities, and global events can drain you even when you're "off"
Without protecting your energy, it’s hard to do your best work
Sustainable business growth requires maintaining your energy for the long term
The side of flexible working that no-one talks about
For many business owners I know who are also parents, one of the reasons they started their own thing was to give them more flexibility in their working hours - especially during school Summer holidays. That being said, they also want to do some work and their income may not yet be at a point where they can afford to take a full 6-8 weeks completely off.
It’s a huge advantage and yet the juggle still comes with its own challenges. Let’s picture the scene:
You’ve organised a day at a forest camp for the kids that you thought they would love. It’s an early start to get the packed lunches made, spare clothes packed, suncream, waterproofs and sunhat (that they need to keep on their head). They’re nervous about going somewhere new and worried about who they’ll know. The nerves rub off on you and you second guess whether this was the treat that you thought it would be.
It’s a bit of a drive meaning you need to leave earlier than anticipated but you get there help them settle in before heading back home. It’s getting hot outside and you momentarily consider ignoring your computer and instead spending the day in the garden. You take 5 on your favourite bench before taking out your phone to check the news.
Half an hour later you move inside, get out your task list for the day and try to focus but find it hard to concentrate between thinking about both the kids and what you’ve just read online. You hop on a client calls that runs over slightly and then before you know it, it’s time for pick up.
Just like that.
If you're a business owner trying to navigate summer with kids at home while the world feels increasingly unstable, you probably already have an inkling that time boundaries aren't enough.
You might have blocked out work hours, set up childcare, and even created a dedicated workspace. But if you're still feeling drained, scattered, and emotionally depleted by the end of each day, you're missing the piece of the puzzle around protecting your energy.
Why don't traditional time boundaries work for entrepreneurs?
Most business advice focuses on time management: block bookings in your calendar, set office hours, batch similar tasks. These strategies matter, but they only address the when and what of your work - not the how your nervous system experiences it.
The problem with time-only boundaries:
Emotional labor remains invisible but drains energy reserves
Always-on mentality prevents nervous system recovery
Empathy overflow absorbs others' stress without protection
A heightened baseline of stress makes normal challenges overwhelming
How do you create energy boundaries that actually work?
Energy boundaries aren't about being selfish or uncaring. They're about being intentional with your energetic resources so you can show up sustainably for what matters most.
Step 1: Do a quick overview of where your energy is going
Before you can protect your energy, you need to understand where it's going. Common energy drains for business owners include:
Emotional Labor That's Not Yours to Carry:
Worrying about clients' business problems when you're not working
Absorbing anxiety from news cycles during work breaks
Taking responsibility for family members' feelings about summer disruptions
Carrying guilt about not being "productive enough" during chaotic days
Mismatched Energy for Tasks:
Doing creative work when your nervous system is activated from morning chaos
Handling client communications when you're emotionally depleted from news consumption
Making important decisions when you're running on fumes from interrupted sleep
Invisible Task Switching Costs:
Moving between "fun summer parent" and "professional business owner" without transition time
Jumping from heavy news consumption to client calls without processing
Shifting from crisis management mode to strategic thinking instantly
Step 2: Implement Energy Protection Practices
Real energy boundaries require both external structures and internal practices. Here's how to implement them:
1. Create Energetic Containers
Instead of just blocking time, create containers that protect your energy quality:
Morning Energy Protection: Before checking any devices, spend 5 minutes grounding yourself. This might be breathing exercises, gentle movement, or simply sitting with your coffee in silence. This isn't selfish - it's insurance against absorbing everyone else's urgency before you've even started your day.
News Consumption Boundaries: Choose one specific time daily for news updates, away from work periods. When global events feel overwhelming (as they often do), consider designating one day per week as "news-free" to let your nervous system reset.
Client Energy Containers: Create rituals that help you step into and out of client work. Before sessions, take three conscious breaths and set an intention to be present. After sessions, do something physical - even just washing your hands mindfully - to signal the transition.
2. Honor Your Energy Seasons
Your energy isn't consistent throughout the day, week, or month - especially during summer chaos. Instead of forcing productivity, work with your natural rhythms:
Daily Energy Mapping: Notice when you feel most creative, most analytical, most patient. Schedule tasks accordingly rather than forcing high-level work during low-energy periods.
Summer Energy Reality: Accept that summer with kids means different energy patterns. Maybe you're most focused early morning or late evening. Maybe Wednesdays are consistently chaotic. Plan around reality, not ideals.
Emotional Weather Awareness: Some days you wake up carrying the weight of world events. That's not a character flaw - it's being human in complex times. On heavy days, choose gentler tasks or give yourself permission to focus on maintenance rather than growth.
3. Build Energy Recovery Into Your Business Model
This is where most entrepreneurs go wrong: they plan for energy output but not energy input.
Micro-Recoveries: Build 10-minute buffers between client calls for conscious breathing or stepping outside. These aren't luxuries - they're essential maintenance.
Weekly Energy Planning: Before scheduling your week, honestly assess your current energy levels. If you're already depleted from school holiday chaos, don't pack your calendar with high-energy tasks.
Seasonal Business Adjustments: Consider slightly reduced capacity during intense family periods. It's better to do less work well than to burn out trying to maintain impossible standards.
What should entrepreneurs do when boundaries feel impossible?
Common boundary concerns for business owners:
"But I can't just turn off caring about my clients." "I can't ignore what's happening in the world." "I can't just pretend summer isn't chaotic."
You're right. Energy boundaries aren't about becoming numb or disconnected. They're about being intentional with your caring so you can sustain it.
Think of yourself as a well. Without boundaries, everyone (including yourself) draws water without limit until the well runs dry. With energy boundaries, you ensure the well stays full enough to nourish what matters most for the long term.
This might mean:
Caring deeply about fewer things rather than worrying superficially about everything
Focusing your climate anxiety into one meaningful action per week rather than constant low-level dread
Supporting clients powerfully during work hours instead of carrying their stress 24/7
What are the benefits of energy boundaries for business owners?
When you start protecting your energy as carefully as you protect your time, sustainable business growth becomes possible:
When you start protecting your energy as carefully as you protect your time, sustainable business growth becomes possible:
Improved Work Quality: You bring full presence to each task instead of scattered attention
Deeper Family Relationships: You're genuinely present during non-work time rather than physically there but mentally elsewhere
Increased Resilience: You're not constantly operating from depletion, making challenges more manageable
More Sustainable Business: You're modeling the very balance your clients are seeking, creating authentic authority
Better Decision Making: Energy protection leads to clearer thinking and more strategic choices
Remember: You can't pour from an empty cup, but you also can't fill others' cups if yours has no bottom. Energy boundaries create that bottom, ensuring you always have something meaningful to offer.
Ready to build a business that supports your energy as well as your time?
If this article resonated with you, you're not alone. My work is about supporting fellow entrepreneurs to grow their business without sacrificing their wellbeing.
Through my Foundations Review, we'll spend 90 minutes together looking at what's actually draining your energy in your business and create a clear plan for sustainable systems that protect both your time and your nervous system.
We'll explore:
Where your energy is leaking and how to plug those gaps
Which parts of your business model are working against your natural rhythms
Simple changes that can transform how your business feels to run
A clear next step plan that honors both your ambitions and your capacity
Book your Foundations Review here - Let's create a business that energizes you instead of depleting you.