FFN #88 The Boundary That Changed My Entire Week

Hey FF’s,

The other week, I finally admitted something to myself: I was letting my calendar run me.

Client calls at all hours. Deadlines creeping into evenings. “Quick chats” that turned into full-blown strategy sessions. And somehow, despite being “booked out,” I still felt behind on everything.

So, I did something radical (for me):
I created a calendar boundary—and I stuck to it.

I now only take calls on Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 11am–3pm. That’s it. No exceptions. No “just this once.” No squeezing someone in “real quick.”

And you know what? My brain breathed a huge sigh of relief.

2025’s been a tough year for finding clients — if it’s felt quieter than usual, you’re not alone.

That’s why we’re teaming up with Bucketlist Bombshells for a free live workshop to help you get booked out again.

This free workshop is packed with actionable strategies to help you:

🔥 Define your niche so dream clients come to you

✨ Shift from one-off projects to high-ticket, sustainable offers

🚀 Build a client booking strategy that actually works in today’s market

Join us on Thursday, June 26 at 1 PM CT to learn 3 strategies to attract dream clients and grow your biz. #partner

Freelancing can feel like freedom... until your schedule starts to resemble a game of Tetris you never signed up for.

But here’s the truth: when everything is flexible, nothing is protected.

By setting clear availability blocks, I’ve been able to:

• Batch admin and deep work on Mondays and Wednesdays

• Reserve Fridays for CEO time, strategy, or logging off early

• Avoid context-switching burnout (aka the “what was I even doing?” spiral)

• Actually enjoy the calls I do take—because they’re not stacked back-to-back

This tiny tweak has changed everything. I’m still fully booked. But I’m no longer frazzled.

If you’re craving that booked but balanced energy, here are a few other systems that have helped me work smarter—not longer.

1. Automated Client Onboarding (with Notion + Flodesk)

Instead of manually onboarding every new client, I now send a single welcome email that includes:

• A link to their Notion dashboard

• A quick guide to how we’ll work together

• My availability and boundaries

• Links to schedule check-ins, ask questions, and pay invoices

Set it and forget it. Total game-changer.

2. Weekly CEO Hour (Recurring Event on Fridays)

Every Friday morning, I block off 1 hour in my calendar to:

– Check in on finances
– Track progress on monthly goals
– Reflect on what drained or energised me
– Adjust next week’s workload accordingly

No clients. No calls. Just me and a coffee, looking at the big picture.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of measuring success by how busy you are.
But here’s your reminder: fully booked doesn’t mean fully burnt out.

In fact, the best freelancers I know are deliberately underbooked. They leave space for creativity, rest, reflection, and last-minute magic. And because they’ve built systems that support them, they can say yes to more of the right things—without drowning in the wrong ones.

You don’t have to do it all manually. You don’t have to be “on” 24/7. You’re allowed to protect your time like it’s your most valuable asset—because it is.

This Week’s Challenge: Set One Boundary

Want to feel more booked and balanced by Friday? Here’s your challenge:

Set ONE non-negotiable boundary this week.

It could be:

• “No client work on Fridays”

• “No calls before 11am”

• “Inbox closed after 6pm”

• “Out of office over the weekend (and yes, I’ll actually turn it on)”

Write it down. Add it to your calendar. Stick to it. You’re not being difficult—you’re being disciplined. There’s a difference.

You didn’t become a freelancer to feel like your own worst boss.
You did it for freedom, flexibility, and fulfilment.

But those things don’t happen by accident.
They happen when you build a business that supports your life—not one that eats it.

So here’s your gentle nudge:
Start small. Set one boundary. Automate one thing. Simplify one process.

Your future self—the one who’s booked and balanced—will thank you.

With systems love and strong calendar energy,
Sara x

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✨ We are running our next round of mentorship groups, with a special early bird discount 🤭

🤸🏽‍♀️ Our community workshops are back! Jenn is kicking things off with her workshop all about giving FF’s confidence through clarity know where your money is going! RSVP here.

👯‍♀️ Got an offer perfect for freelancers? We’re opening up limited partnership spots this month to connect brands we love with our Freelancing Females community. If you’ve got something our audience needs to know about, let’s chat. Enquire now to secure your spot!