Rebalance and recharge: Set boundaries for a healthier practice

If you’ve ever ended a 10-hour workday feeling like you’ve given every ounce of yourself to your clients—only to collapse on the couch, too drained to care about your own needs—you’re not alone. Burnout is real, and it’s common in caregiving professions. If this sounds familiar, perhaps it’s time for a “spring cleaning” – not just for your office, but for your schedule and commitments. This spring, let’s focus on establishing clear boundaries to sustain your energy and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Take stock: Where are the stressors?

Before you can set new boundaries, you need to understand where the current ones are bending or breaking. Take an honest look at your typical week:

• Are you scheduling clients back-to-back without room to breathe, grab lunch, or transition mentally?
• Do work-related calls, texts, or emails creep into your evenings or weekends?
• Are you consistently working through lunch or skipping breaks altogether?
• How long has it been since you took a real vacation, completely unplugged?
• Do administrative tasks pile up, forcing you to handle them during personal time?

Identifying these specific areas where your energy drains or stress spikes is the first step toward making meaningful changes.

Define your non-negotiables

Now that you’ve identified what makes you feel overextended, it’s time to find areas where you won’t compromise.

For example:

• “Tech time limit: “I will not check or respond to work emails after 7:00 PM on weeknights.”
• Caseload cap: “I will limit my client sessions to [X number] per day to ensure I have adequate energy for each one.”
• Protected time: “I will block off Tuesday mornings for administrative tasks and personal appointments, communicating this availability change to clients.”
• Scheduled breaks: “I will schedule a non-negotiable 30-minute lunch break away from my desk each day.”

Decide on a specific time for sessions, paperwork, and personal time. By keeping a consistent schedule, you create a structure that helps you and your clients know when you are available. This can help prevent work from spilling over into your off hours.

Pro tip: Start small. You don’t have to overhaul your entire practice overnight. Pick one boundary to enforce this week, then build from there.

How to start building boundaries (even when it feels uncomfortable)

Bake your boundaries into your schedule

Setting boundaries isn’t just about limiting work; it’s also about actively prioritizing yourself. Consider small self-care practices that can be integrated into your routine:

• Simply blocking time off in your calendar as unavailable.
• Short pauses during the day help you reset. A five-minute walk or a moment of deep breathing can work wonders for your focus and mood.
• Commit to taking a full, uninterrupted lunch break, perhaps listening to music or reading something unrelated to work.

These small rituals reinforce your boundaries and actively replenish your energy reserves.

Communicate clearly (and without apology)

You teach clients how to treat you. If you’re vague about your limits, they’ll mirror that vagueness. Instead:

• Updating your stated availability on your website or client portal.
• Setting up an email auto-responder for after-hours messages.
• State your policies upfront. “My working hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I respond to messages within 24 hours on weekdays.”
• Use direct, kind language. “I’m unable to extend sessions last-minute, but we can schedule an extra appointment next week.”
• Avoid over-justifying. You don’t owe anyone a detailed explanation for protecting your time. “I’m not available for calls on weekends” is a complete sentence.

Protect your “yes” by saying “no” more often

Every time you say “yes” to something that drains you (an extra client, a last-minute favor, a committee you don’t care about), you’re saying “no” to your own well-being. Practice reframing:

• Instead of “I can’t take on more clients,” try: “I’m prioritizing quality care for my current caseload.”
• Instead of “I shouldn’t check emails on vacation,” try: “My time off is for recharging so I can serve clients better when I return.”

Learn from others (and your own wisdom)

It’s easy to feel like you should have it all figured out, but therapists are human, too. You need rest, support, and boundaries just like anyone else. Even the experts grapple with this. As The Wall Street Journal highlights in this article, therapists experience anxiety and have developed unique strategies to cope – from finding solace in gardening tomato plants to using music to stay centered. These aren’t signs of weakness; they’re necessary acts of self-preservation.

Think about the advice you regularly give your clients about managing stress, setting limits, and prioritizing self-care. Are you practicing what you preach? Acknowledging your own needs isn’t selfish; it’s essential for maintaining the empathy and presence your clients rely on. TIME magazine noted going into 2025 that prioritizing boundaries over simply piling on more goals is crucial for well-being. Without them, as they pointed out, people “likely become stressed and burned out.”

Nurture yourself outside of work

Healthy boundaries also extend beyond your professional life. Here are a few practical tips:

• Seek support: Consider finding a peer group or therapist for yourself. Having someone to talk to about your experiences can provide comfort and insights.
• Learn to let go: Give yourself permission to leave work at work. Engage in activities that enrich your life outside your practice, whether that’s a hobby, exercise, or quiet time alone.

Stay accountable and flexible

Implementing new boundaries takes conscious effort. Notice how these changes affect your mood, energy levels, and overall sense of well-being. Does ending work emails at 7 PM leave you feeling calmer in the evening? Does a capped caseload improve the quality of your sessions? Acknowledging the positive impact can help reinforce your commitment.

At the same time, be prepared to adjust. Maybe you blocked off Friday mornings, but find that many clients request that time and you struggle to fill slots elsewhere. Perhaps the initial boundary needs tweaking. The goal isn’t rigid adherence at all costs, but finding a sustainable compromise that still honors your need for balance and rest. If one approach doesn’t quite work, reassess and try a different way to achieve the same protective outcome.

Dealing with challenges

Setting boundaries is a process. There might be days when you feel guilty for taking time for yourself or when clients expect more than is sustainable. These challenges are normal. Remind yourself that maintaining your own health benefits everyone in the long term. If you ever feel uncertain about enforcing a boundary, revisit your list of needs and priorities; they offer a clear guide during difficult moments.

What to do when guilt creeps in

Guilt is the biggest barrier to boundary-setting. You might think, “What if someone really needs me?” or “Am I being selfish?” Remind yourself:

• Your worth isn’t tied to how much you sacrifice. Sustainable care requires sustainable effort.
• Clients benefit from your boundaries, too. When you model healthy limits, you normalize self-respect—a lesson many clients need to learn.
• Burnout helps no one. If you’re running on fumes, your empathy, creativity, and effectiveness will suffer.

The ripple effect of strong boundaries

When you prioritize your needs, surprising things happen:

• You’ll feel more energized during sessions.
• Your relationships (personal and professional) will grow healthier.
• You’ll rediscover joy in your work instead of seeing it as a grind.

Boundaries aren’t a one-time fix. They’re a practice—one that gets easier with time. And if you slip up? That’s okay. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.

Moving forward

Boundaries are not fixed rules; they are adjustments you make as your personal and professional landscape changes. Regularly reviewing and tweaking your limits is part of a healthy practice. This ongoing process supports not only your well-being but also the quality of care you provide.

Taking these steps can lift some pressure off your shoulders. Every time you honor a boundary, you create space for rest and rejuvenation. This, in turn, helps you be more present in your work and more connected to your personal life.

By choosing practical ways to protect your energy, you show up fully for both your clients and your own needs. Remember, you deserve the same care you give so freely to others.