Ever find yourself answering emails at 10 PM, rewriting someone else’s work because “it’s just faster”, or nodding along to an impossible deadline while internally screaming? If so, congratulations! You’ve officially been inducted into the People-Pleasing Marketers Club—where burnout is the membership perk and “sure, I can squeeze that in” is our battle cry.
But here’s the thing: setting boundaries isn’t about being difficult. It’s about staying sane, keeping your team from imploding, and, let’s be honest, getting actual work done instead of drowning in last-minute, poorly planned requests.
The good news? You can hold your ground without sounding like a robot or a jerk. You just need a few strategies (and a little practice). Let’s get into it.
Step 1: Figure Out Where Your Boundaries Are (Before They’re Crossed)
Before you can start enforcing boundaries, you need to know what yours actually are. Otherwise, it’s like trying to build a fence without measuring the yard.
Ask yourself:
- When am I actually available to respond to emails and Slack messages? (And when do I pretend I didn’t see them?)
- What’s my turnaround time for projects that keeps me efficient—not panicked?
- How many revision rounds before we’re just writing in circles?
- What part of my job is mine to own, and what am I constantly picking up because no one else is doing it?
Write it all down. Boundaries in your head are just wishful thinking. Boundaries in writing? That’s a game plan.
Step 2: Set Expectations Before Things Get Messy
The best way to set boundaries is to do it before people start trampling them. If you wait until someone has already barged through, you’re stuck playing defense.
Instead, build boundaries into your communication early on:
- For clients: “I respond to emails within 24 hours during business hours (M-F, 9-5).”
- For teams: “All edits need to be submitted by Thursday at noon for Monday’s publishing schedule.”
- For executives: “I’ll send the first draft by Wednesday. Feedback is due by Friday so we can stay on track.”
Now, does this mean everyone will magically follow these rules like well-trained puppies? No. But at least you won’t be the bad guy when you reinforce them later.
Step 3: Master the Art of Saying “No” (Without the Existential Guilt Spiral)
Most people avoid setting boundaries because they don’t want to be difficult. But here’s the truth: boundaries aren’t mean. They’re just clear. And clear is what keeps work moving smoothly.
If saying “no” makes you sweat, here are some ready-to-go responses to keep in your back pocket:
- When a client expects 24/7 availability:
- “I’ll take a look first thing in the morning and get back to you by noon.”
- When a teammate drops a last-minute ‘urgent’ request:
- “I’d love to help, but I need at least two days’ notice for these requests.”
- When an executive wants everything done yesterday:
- “I can prioritize this, but it’ll push back X. Let me know which is most important.”
These phrases keep things professional while subtly reminding people that you are not an on-call magician.
Step 4: Stop Apologizing for Having Boundaries
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to apologize for literally just doing your job?
- “Sorry, but I don’t have time to squeeze this in.”
- “Sorry, I can’t take on another project right now.”
- “Sorry, but I’m actually asleep at 3 AM when you send me Slack messages.”
You don’t need to be sorry for protecting your time. Try this instead:
- Swap “Sorry, I can’t” for “I won’t be available for that, but here’s what I can do.”
- Swap “Sorry for the delay” for “Thanks for your patience!”
- Swap “Sorry, I don’t have time” for “My plate’s full right now. Let’s schedule this for next week.”
Confidence in your boundaries makes other people respect them. If you’re constantly apologizing, you’re inviting pushback.
Step 5: Use Redirection Instead of Just Flat-Out “No”
Some people take “no” well. Others? Not so much. If you’re dealing with a serial boundary-pusher, you’ll need a little finesse.
Instead of just shutting them down, redirect the request:
- Offer a process: “Great question! The best way to get that approved is through [process].”
- Provide an alternative: “I can’t take this on, but [Name] might have bandwidth.”
- Make it about efficiency: “To keep projects running smoothly, we stick to our standard approval schedule.”
This keeps the conversation focused on solutions instead of turning it into a battle of wills.
Step 6: Let Technology Enforce Your Boundaries for You
If you don’t want to spend your life reminding people of your boundaries, let technology do it for you.
- Auto-responders for emails when you’re off the clock.
- Slack status updates so people know when you’re heads-down in deep work.
- Project management tools (Asana, Trello, ClickUp) to keep deadlines structured.
- Email templates for common boundary-pushing situations.
If a system can handle the boundary-setting for you, let it. The less you have to enforce manually, the smoother everything runs.
Step 7: Handling Boundary-Pushing Executives Without Torpedoing Your Career
Clients and teammates are one thing. But what about the CEO who expects instant answers at all hours?
The trick is to frame your boundaries as an efficiency boost, not an obstacle.
Instead of saying:
❌ “I can’t meet that deadline.”Try:
✅ “I can prioritize this, but it’ll push back X. Let me know what’s most important.”
Instead of saying:
❌ “I don’t work weekends.”Try:
✅ “To keep things running smoothly, I stick to weekday deadlines. Let’s schedule this for Monday.”
Executives care about results. If you position boundaries as part of your efficiency strategy, they’re more likely to respect them.
Why Good Boundaries Make You a Better Marketer (and Human Being)
Boundaries aren’t just about protecting your time. They help you do better work.
- When your schedule isn’t a free-for-all, you can focus on strategy instead of firefighting.
- When your role is clear, you don’t waste energy on work that isn’t yours.
- When expectations are set upfront, you don’t spend hours untangling miscommunications.
Marketing is already a high-pressure job. If you let constant interruptions, unclear expectations, and never-ending “urgent” requests control your day, you’ll never get to the actual work that moves the needle.
So, set your boundaries. Enforce them. And don’t apologize for it.
Because your sanity? It’s worth it.
