Your client constantly invades your personal time. How do you assert your boundaries effectively?

When a client consistently sends requests late at night, I will stop responding outside of my work hours and address their needs the next day during business hours. I will also adjust how I manage the project by clearly outlining deadlines and deliverables upfront to prevent last-minute requests. Over time, the client will notice how I respond to the situation and may be more likely to make changes to the work schedule. Staying consistent and organized helps me assert my boundaries without constantly needing to explain or justify them, while still delivering high-quality work.

Setting clear expectations and limits at the start is necessary. Sometimes clients send emails or texts at off hours because that is when they are thinking about an issue. By not responding until the next business day, they will get the message that you don’t work 24/7. Once you do respond during those off hours though, you gave them that experience which they will expect again.

Also, one has to be professional in dealing with such clients which means that one should not accept personal gifts from clients and should keep in check their emotional involvement with the client.

Use technology for good - timers, focus settings, push notification settings, etc. You can make your device(s) available 24/7 so that you don't have to be. Create clear and limited channels for your clients, such as a separate phone number, app, or email. Expect that the most kind, gentle, generous, and well-meaning client will like adjust to whatever you allow. Be clear that having good practices and rituals to support your life make you better able to support them.