Treat Your Business

128 Master Boundaries, Reclaim Your Time!

• Katie Bell • Season 1 • Episode 128

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Welcome to the Treat Your Business Podcast! 🎙️
This week, we’re diving into the mindset of a CEO and how to set boundaries that help you reclaim your time and energy. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, stuck in people-pleasing habits, or struggling to focus on growing your business, this episode is for you. Let’s get started!

Episode Summary
In this episode, we’re talking about the mindset shifts and practical steps you need to take to step into your role as a CEO and leader. We explore how setting strong boundaries and prioritising your time can help you scale your business and regain control of your life. You’ll learn why people-pleasing is holding you back, how to say no without guilt, and how to create systems that empower your clients while protecting your time.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re juggling too much, this episode will give you the permission and tools you need to make bold decisions and focus on what truly matters.

Key Takeaways
✨ Your time is your most valuable asset. Stop giving it away to tasks, people, or commitments that don’t align with your goals.
✨ People-pleasing often stems from a subconscious need for approval. Recognising this is the first step to breaking the cycle.
✨ Strong boundaries are an act of self-worth. They allow you to show up fully for the people and tasks that matter most.
✨ Educate your clients, team, and even your family on your boundaries. Clear communication is key.
✨ You are responsible to your clients, but not for them. Their results depend on their actions, not your sacrifices.

This Episode is Sponsored By Nookal.com
I’m delighted to share that this episode is proudly brought to you by Nookal, the leading practice management software designed to streamline operations and empower every Allied Health clinic. Their platform handles everything from scheduling and clinical note-taking to invoicing and reporting.

If you’re tired of juggling multiple systems and wasting precious hours on admin tasks, discover how Nookalcan improve the efficiency and profitability of your practice. Visit Nookal.com today to learn more and see how their automated features and user-friendly interface can revolutionise the way you manage your clinic.

Resources & Links
💻 Discover how Nookal can transform your clinic management: Nookal Practice Management Software

If this episode resonated with you, I’d love for you to share it with someone who might benefit from it. Don’t forget to leave a review, subscribe, and join me next week as we dive into the EGAs (Essential Growth Activities) you should focus on in your business. Together, we can create thriving businesses and

Treat Your Business podcast is proudly sponsored by MBST, the groundbreaking technology revolutionising recovery and rehabilitation. Offering a non-invasive, drug-free solution for musculoskeletal conditions and nerve injuries, MBST works at a cellular level to stimulate regeneration. Expand your services and deliver long-term patient improvements without increasing your workload.

Learn more at mbstmedical.co.uk. 

[00:00:00] Katie Bell: Welcome to this week's episode of the Treat Your Business podcast. I'm your host, Katie Bell, and I am super excited to continue on the theme that we talked about last week. If you listened in, you will know what EGA's stand for. This is not a test. Do not worry, and you will understand and have more clarity on how much of your time is spent on EGAs and how much of your time is spent on non EGAs.

[00:00:26] Katie Bell: We looked at time blocking. We talked about the [00:00:30] 80 20 rule, which all is strategic kind of ideas and practical thoughts around what you should spend your time on. But this week is all about the mindset of a CEO. 

[00:00:45] Katie Bell: Welcome to the Treat Your Business Podcast with Katie Bell. I'm Katie, and this is the place where clinic owners like you learn the strategies, tools, and mindset shifts needed to transform your clinic into a [00:01:00] thriving business. One that gives you more time, more money, and more freedom. Born from a passion to challenge the idea that average is normal.

[00:01:08] Katie Bell: We empower clinic owners to create extraordinary businesses, incomes, and lives through our world class coaching programs. We help you step out of overwhelm and into confidence, turning your clinic into a business that fuels your lifestyle, not drain it, it. So are you ready? Let's dive in. I'm delighted to tell you this episode of The Treat Your [00:01:30] Business podcast is proudly brought to you by New, the leading practice management software designed to streamline operations and empower every Allied Health clinic.

[00:01:39] Katie Bell: Their platform seamlessly handles every aspect of your clinic. From scheduling and clinical note taking to invoicing and reporting, their innovative solution will help streamline your clinic and free up your valuable time, allowing you to focus on delivering better patient care and growing your business.

[00:01:58] Katie Bell: So if you are tired of juggling [00:02:00] multiple systems and wasting precious hours on administrative tasks, then experience the innovation of CLE and discover how it can improve the efficiency and profitability of your practice. Visit cle.com today to learn more about how their automated features and user friendly interface can revolutionize the way you manage your practice.

[00:02:22] Katie Bell: Unlock the full potential of your clinic with new the practice management software that puts you in control of your time. [00:02:30] Now, let's get back to business.

[00:02:35] Katie Bell: You are CEOs, you are the bosses, you are the leaders of your clinics, your businesses, your companies.

[00:02:41] Katie Bell: And I to touch upon the mindset. When it comes to making the decision that more of your time needs to be spent working on your business than in your business to scale your business further, we have got to stop people pleasing because guess what? You don't owe [00:03:00]anyone anything.

[00:03:01] Katie Bell: Accept the original agreement that you had with the person, the client, the patient. So if you are among those clinic owners and business owners out there who are feeling overwhelmed and feeling slightly crushed under their to-do list or commitments or patient workload, it may not be a question of just too much volume.

[00:03:26] Katie Bell: It might be that we need to prioritize [00:03:30] better. Now, it also might be a symptom that you've put the needs of others before your own. And this is such a common theme when we definitely, when we start working with people, this is one of the biggest barriers we have to overcome to enable the strategy to then work.

[00:03:47] Katie Bell: Some people want to be liked so much. That they agree to do things, they give their time to others. Back down, lower their standards, lower their expectations of their team so that they can [00:04:00] feel appreciated and they can feel significant because it's the right thing to do. Or they asked so nicely and I didn't feel like I could say no, or like they're really in pain.

[00:04:09] Katie Bell: So I just have to say yes. And truth be told, this often comes from the subconscious need to fill a gap. Around not feeling good enough, or not having a strong enough belief that you are good enough or sacrificing your time or personal boundaries to prove our [00:04:30] worth.

[00:04:30] Katie Bell: In Thrive, this personal growth area that we teach supports people in setting boundaries because ultimately. It's an act of self value and it's an act of self worth, and if you understand that your value is like a birthright, that your innate worth can never be taken from you, and that you are good enough and you begin to honor that and value yourself and value your needs, then [00:05:00]you'll realize that you don't actually need to people please to be liked.

[00:05:03] Katie Bell: You don't have to become somebody else. You don't have to be the yes person.

[00:05:06] Katie Bell: Don't need to give of yourself endlessly, but it becomes a choice. Then it's enough. And this applies to our business as well as our personal life. And in fact, you can't have one without the other. Like you can't give of yourself endlessly and have no boundaries personally, and expect that [00:05:30] not to show up in your business.

[00:05:31] Katie Bell: Just doesn't work. The two kind of come hand in hand, and I'd really like to give you permission, not that you need my permission, but I'd like to give you my permission to be bolder about meeting your own needs first, and to simply just say no to the things you don't want to do or you don't have time for, or the things that aren't in alignment with your personal goals or your personal aspirations.

[00:05:55] Katie Bell: So this might mean that you stop going to that networking group that's an hour [00:06:00] away and hasn't produced results in a year, or you let go of that clinic that you are commuting an hour and a half to, to see seven patients who have been legacy patients of 20 years. And there is nothing wrong in the fact that you love them, that you don't want to let them down.

[00:06:18] Katie Bell: But that's because you are putting their needs over yours. And then you drive an hour and a half back and you spent three hours commuting and you've probably made about 70 quid, and that [00:06:30] time could be spent on those EGAs that we talked about last week. It might mean that you find a way of getting out, hosting something that you've been taught into or that this might create a bit of, a feeling of tenseness when I say this, but it might be that you tell your family that you can't be just the one driving the kids to all of the football parties and the swimming parties and the God knows, whatever else that everybody has to do during work hours or even on evenings and weekends. [00:07:00] Because you're a business owner, you're not just a chauffeur.

[00:07:02] Katie Bell: Self-employed does not mean unemployed. You have really important work to do. Yes, you can give you time to charities. Yes, you can give you time to your community and your family, but let that be your choice. Not because someone asks you nicely or you are expected to do it, especially when you want to be working on growing your business, leveraging your business, making a bigger impact.

[00:07:28] Katie Bell: And the same goes with clients. I said [00:07:30] it at the beginning, you don't owe your clients. And I think other than what is agreed between you. If you complain that you don't have enough time to grow your business, I want to really ask you to reevaluate how you use your time. We touched on this last week with the EGAs and the non EGAs, and ask you to make a list of all of the things, the tasks that you were doing in the week.

[00:07:50] Katie Bell: And if we look at that list, let's look at all of the unnecessary or the unpaid time that you give your clients, your community, or people who just want to pick your [00:08:00] brains. If we add up all of those hours that you give away each week and then multiply it by 52 weeks, you will find that you have plenty of time to focus on the growth of your business.

[00:08:11] Katie Bell: You can be unapologetic about taking back your time from those who maybe we've allowed to hijack it because we've been in a place of fear or lack, or low confidence or low self-worth or low self-belief. This is your permission. To take your life [00:08:30] back. If you've been playing the role of people pleaser, and I brought this to this episode because I don't think there's one business owner that, and maybe it's an industry thing.

[00:08:40] Katie Bell: Maybe it's because we do what we do, because we love to help people and we want to make a change. We want to make a difference. But we often then blur those boundaries and would become the rescuer, would become the people pleaser. And actually when we feel like we need to stop being that it you, we fear that people think we're rude or we're selfish, and that ultimately they [00:09:00] won't like you.

[00:09:00] Katie Bell: And I always think that this was really hard for me to get my head round a few years ago. But actually then when I created more time, I was to be able to choose to give my time and be more present to my family and to my friends. And I didn't feel like I was then all trying to beat everything to everybody and being crap at it all.

[00:09:22] Katie Bell: But if certain people are like you because of things you do for them free, then we need to get rid of them. Your worth is [00:09:30] so much more and you deserve to be appreciated for your qualities and your personality. It is time to clear the decks and start saying no, which is really tricky and there's no judgment here.

[00:09:42] Katie Bell: And men just bear with me. But I'm a woman and I can say this, especially for women because society's expectations is that we should just be able to do it all. That is like a whole episode and they're going to really get on my [00:10:00] soapbox, but. It's time to clear the decks. It's time to start saying no to things that aren't serving us.

[00:10:07] Katie Bell: But sometimes we feel like we need an excuse to remove ourselves from that obligation that no longer serves us, or placing those clear boundaries in place. And here's the thing, I have to have a conversation with somebody quite recently and I could feel myself at the end of the conversation.

[00:10:27] Katie Bell: Starting to go back to going, [00:10:30] it'll be really nice to keep in touch and we can maybe revisit this relationship in the future. And I was like, why? Why am I even thinking about saying that? Because I'm not actually going to do that. I'm now not being able to own that decision and be unapologetic with that decision.

[00:10:46] Katie Bell: And I can do it in a really nice way and with kindness. But we don't have to come up with all this bullshit excuse. We can just say, thank you for thinking of me. I'm not going to be able to do that, [00:11:00] or, best of luck going forward, or, I'm so honored that you thought of me first, but I'm going to decline that invitation and I know you'll find someone perfect for the role.

[00:11:09] Katie Bell: Or I'm not going to be able to, I'm no longer going to be able to commit to running the Scouts bookkeeping. Thank you for allowing me to be part of it all this time. I just made that EE example up because so many business owners that I speak to are doing things [00:11:30] because they feel like they should, and actually the, their life is complicated.

[00:11:34] Katie Bell: Their life is so tiring and they're so burn out.

[00:11:37] Katie Bell: If you, when we're like saying no to people, if we use an excuse. Or we say anything else, it invites a negotiation, which will then become an invitation for them to negotiate with you. So just be grateful for the opportunity firm about your answer, and if they press on us, why? You still don't need to just give a reason.

[00:11:56] Katie Bell: It's just, it's something I'm choosing to do at this time, and [00:12:00] there'll be this really awkward want to dig yourself into a hole for two seconds moment. And then it'll go, and this will be one of the most difficult things you've got to do in your business and in your life. But it will strengthen those muscles in your mindset, those muscles, for being a great successful CEO business owner.

[00:12:19] Katie Bell: Business leader that's going to help you leverage your business and gain your life back for now and many years to come. And it will actually really increase your feeling of [00:12:30]self-worth and your personal fulfillment. So we've gotta set these strong boundaries and strong boundaries help you grow your business exponentially.

[00:12:39] Katie Bell: And here's the thing, others aren't responsible for how they treat you or your time. You are

[00:12:45] Katie Bell: in the personal growth and development work that we do with our clients. I stress that the way someone treats you is simply the result of how you have taught them and allowed them to treat you.

[00:12:57] Katie Bell: It always comes back to us. How [00:13:00] annoying. Isn't it nice to blame everybody else? Nope. It's always down to us. The same is true in your business, so if you feel like clients have hijacked your time or your boundaries and they continue to do so, it's because they're not clear about your standards or personal rules around what's acceptable and what's not.

[00:13:16] Katie Bell: We've just not educated them around how to deal with you or if a handful of your customers feel entitled to call you on your mobile in an evening or on a weekend, and this frustrates you in each of your time, that's not something [00:13:30] that will just end on its own. That client will continue to use that privilege until you do something about it.

[00:13:37] Katie Bell: And in the first few years of my business, oh my goodness, I did not have these boundaries whatsoever. But when I put more boundaries in place, I've then got more flexibility of how I use my time. And then if I choose to be able to engage with my clients, I've got the time to, because it's my decision, it's my choice.

[00:13:57] Katie Bell: When that happens.

[00:13:59] Katie Bell: [00:14:00] So have a think in your business right now. Are you super clear on what you are going to tolerate? What is acceptable, how people work with you, what you will tolerate, what you won't tolerate. And you don't have to be, I'm just going to swear, and you don't have to be a chunk about it. You can do this with love.

[00:14:21] Katie Bell: You can do this with kindness 'cause this will allow you to make. A greater difference to people's lives. So enforcing boundaries is not [00:14:30] about being unlikeable, it's not being about cold or being cold or heartless. It's about standing firm on what you believe and taking a stand for what's important to you.

[00:14:38] Katie Bell: It's like self-esteem in action in a process.

[00:14:43] Katie Bell: And when we meet people who have really strong boundaries, the likelihood is that you actually have respect for them because you admire how they care for themselves. It's actually way more comfortable to be around them because you always know where you stand. I've got some friends like that, like I [00:15:00] 100% know where I am with them all the time.

[00:15:03] Katie Bell: There's no confusion. There's no trying to be everything to everybody and trying to be liked all the time. And as it relates to business, you can't keep providing value to our clients and customers if you are absolutely depleted.

[00:15:16] Katie Bell: So if boundary issues are giving you some warning signs, address these issues with the client. Quickly be sensitive to the feelings, but stay firm. And I always think, if they've gone over the boundary [00:15:30] once, you may let it slip this time by giving them like a get out of jail free card from Monopoly, as I used to say, with a like a smile, but at the same time.

[00:15:42] Katie Bell: You've got to let them know that if it happens, again, we follow through on the stated policy. And I know this feels like extreme and this feels maybe uncomfortable for some of you, but they'll, people will know it's fair and they will understand why you are having to do it. But

[00:15:59] Katie Bell: [00:16:00] And by all means, there is sometimes that a client will have a real emergency and. I will pull out all the stops. I will be there late. I'll come in early. I'll fit them in at lunchtime because I've got a heart and I'm I'm very compassionate and I want to be able to help, but it is my choice. It's not an expectation.

[00:16:22] Katie Bell: You are loving, but you are not too lenient. Now, ideally it would be great if we are not the ones having to play [00:16:30] bad cop. And you may have listened to a previous episode where I talked about having somebody in my business right at the beginning that I made up. She was not real. And I gave her an email signature because she could play bad cop for me because at that point I had not done the necessary work to up level my self-worth and my self-confidence, and I was new in business and I was giving it all the bullshits excuses around.

[00:16:51] Katie Bell: I can't say no to any patients because I need the money to be able to eat. All that narrative, but your practice manager, your [00:17:00] client care team, your fake person on email, they could deliver the bad cop stuff if something isn't working, or gently reminding your clients about what's acceptable and what's not acceptable.

[00:17:14] Katie Bell: The client is not always right as much as everybody says the client's always right. No, they're not. Some clients will never adhere to your policies. Some clients will never adhere to your boundaries, and that doesn't mean that you have to change your behavior. It just means it's time [00:17:30] to let them go with love.

[00:17:32] Katie Bell: Another way. Bringing in those stronger boundaries, which remember, this is all to free you up some time and some head space is reducing access to you. Because what often happens is we take on the rescuer role, who listening to this feels like they're a rescuer in their personal life and their professional life, like who comes to you Because you can always solve a problem.

[00:17:59] Katie Bell: [00:18:00] Children as well. A big mindset shift that needs to occur if you are committed to leveraging your business and to get some time back is to realize that you are responsible to your clients, but not for your clients or their results. Whew. Feels like a massive pill to swallow that, doesn't it?

[00:18:20] Katie Bell: You are responsible to them, but not for them.

[00:18:25] Katie Bell: Many of us feel like it's our role to save the client, and this is not [00:18:30] true. Our role is to give our clients exactly what you agreed to give them. Like the most exceptional treatment program, rehab program, assessment, home care regime, whatever it is that you have agreed and if they follow the process, if they trust the process and they do what you tell 'em to do, they will get the results.

[00:18:54] Katie Bell: Yes, there's, those are variables. You can't control those. But our job is to [00:19:00] give the clients what you agree to give them. And under no circumstances does this include giving them like, any access to you ring whenever you need. Email, whenever you need. I'll be there. I'll fit you in at lunchtime.

[00:19:11] Katie Bell: I'll fit you in after work. I will come in on a Saturday playing the role of the rescuer or the superhero. Okay. Leads to burnout. It leads to exhaustion, it leads to compassion, fatigue, whatever word you want to use. And that comes from us was trying to be responsible [00:19:30] for them. And whoever else might be in our network.

[00:19:35] Katie Bell: It also means that then we we don't enable our client to take ownership for their part of the bargain, and it kinda sets up this weird codependent relationship, doesn't it? And I always say in Thrive, like we have got clear boundaries, we have got clear ways that we're going to work with you. I will give you everything like I am a massive part of me wants to people please, part of me wants to be [00:20:00] completely responsible and come into your clinic and fire your staff for you and do all of these things.

[00:20:04] Katie Bell: I have to remind myself that is not my job. But what we will create is systems, processes, ways of working with us. That mean if you follow the process, if you turn up, if you are on calls, if you are at group meetings, if you are at our live strategy days, if you do what we tell you to do, you are going to get the results and you are going to fly.

[00:20:25] Katie Bell: But I can't force you to that. I can't force you to the water and make you [00:20:30] drink it. It feels good, doesn't it? For a little while when we are the rescuer and when we are the hero, and this can be if you are a a manager of a team as well, a leader of team, we can often feel like we need to fix their problem for them.

[00:20:42] Katie Bell: And sometimes team just need to be heard. They don't need the problem fixing. But it does feel good when we do it, but it's not allowing those people to take personal responsibility for their results or their life. It's like when we're severely overprotecting a child.

[00:20:59] Katie Bell: [00:21:00] So one of the really important things that we teach and thrive is the concept of personal responsibility. That everyone is responsible for their own outcomes, and that you create your life with every action as well as every inaction.

[00:21:13] Katie Bell: So assuming that like you set up your clinic and your product or your program or your rehab structure or whatever you, any offerings that you've got with integrity, knowing that you've included everything you can to practically guarantee results [00:21:30] if they are applied fully. Your client's outcomes are their personal responsibility, not yours.

[00:21:37] Katie Bell: That means you're responsible to give them what you promised and be amazing, be exceptional. Charge for it. Charge what you worth, because you are giving them those exceptional structures, accountability processes, care support, and you're giving them the. [00:22:00] Possibility of getting the outcome, but that's where our role stops.

[00:22:06] Katie Bell: And it's really difficult to own this when you're a business owner like me for many years who played the rescuer role and feel like we are significant when we are a true problem solver. But if you want to overcome this kind of feeling of overwhelm and fatigue and mindset shift, the CEO mindset must be made along with then the appropriate [00:22:30] actions.

[00:22:30] Katie Bell: So let's take a look at your diary this week and let's. Tighten up the way that we work with clients and the boundaries that we have with clients. And it can be as simple as changing your out of office response. It can be as simple as changing your voicemail and what that says, and when that you will get back to them and when you won't get back to them, and when you are available and when you're not available.

[00:22:52] Katie Bell: And if any of you have client care team, a va, a pa, somebody that sits on the reception desk, I encourage [00:23:00] you to go and share and be vulnerable. With that support because you deserve the best support and say to them, okay, I'm struggling, or I'm feeling overwhelmed, or I know that we are not, I'm not delivering the best that I can for my clients.

[00:23:16] Katie Bell: And the reason for that is because we've allowed whatever to take over. So I would like to work together on tightening up these boundaries, but I'm going to need your help with that because

[00:23:28] Katie Bell: a big part of me is going [00:23:30] to struggle with it. Like I said this to my reception team years ago and I was banned from the reception desk.

[00:23:36] Katie Bell: I'm still banned. They just gimme me eyeballs if I walk over there because a big part of me will still want to people please because my generational programming that I'm working on and I'm doing all the shifts that we need to do, but it's still a big part of me once external gratification. 'cause I was absolutely brought up on it.

[00:23:55] Katie Bell: And so it's like I have to really [00:24:00] consciously. To stick with those boundaries. So the best thing for me is to just not go anywhere near the rebooking and the reception. So do whatever you need to do to get something in between you and the client, whether it's rewriting your policy and sending out to them, tightening things up, having a direct conversation with somebody, saying no to more things.

[00:24:20] Katie Bell: But just take a moment to really think about where, what have I said no to? What have I said yes to that I really wanted to say no to? Katie has given me permission [00:24:30] to go and make that yes and no and be fine with it. Be unapologetic with your decision to put your needs first. You cannot grow your business between client appointments.

[00:24:45] Katie Bell: I have loved this episode and I could go on and on, but I won't, I will save you and get ready for next week's episode where I'm going to talking about these EGAs if I've only got a certain amount of time, what am I going to spend it on in terms of [00:25:00] marketing in my business?

[00:25:01] Katie Bell: So please join me again and don't forget to write just a little review like it, share it. Make sure as many people can listen to this as possible because hopefully it will help just somebody along the way. Thanks. 

[00:25:16]

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