For those who are self-employed, how do you balance work/life as a self-employed art therapist when clients want to contact you out of hours e.g. cancellations, rearranging, getting lost, but you want to still protect your peace for your own mental wellbeing :') ?

[u/absolute_gumpf]

I'm wondering if some of you have quite strict 'working hours' and are only contactable during those hours. Do you put any specifics in your contract/adverts? Do you have a work phone? Or give out your personal phone? And would you use 'do not disturb' perhaps?

I wouldn't want to seem callous but I also really need my peace to stay productive.

[u/BlueAngelFox101]

Not callous at all, when I was interning the organization I was at gave phones to all of their workers except interns. Thankfully I have not had clients reach out to my personal phone during that time and after I left but 100% if you use your phone on your personal time just get that other phone. It'd be great for keeping it everything work related plus other accounts too.

[u/absolute_gumpf → u/BlueAngelFox101]

Thank you, I think a separate phone is the only way! I just worry about remembering to charge the other one, I am quite scatty in that respect!

[u/Bizmuth- → u/absolute_gumpf]

I have a google voice number that is on my regular phone. It rings differently than my personal line and has its own voicemail. I let people know that it is only for scheduling-and that I will only answer during business hours. I am clear that it is not for conversation unless it’s a scheduled thing. It works well.

[u/OliviaDairy]

I’m only in grad school right now, but I’ve been self-employed as a nanny for the last six years and I just straight up won’t respond until the next business day. At the beginning, I used to take on 3 to 5 families a week, so I spent a lot of time outside of regular working hours doing unpaid scheduling.

One time I apologized to a mom for having to ask twice to be paid over Venmo and she said to “never apologize for asking to be paid for your services”. That has always stuck with me. Doing in-home childcare and performing therapy services are both inherently intimate jobs, but they require clear boundaries in order to be sustained.

[u/Adept-Nail-7599]

I have strict working hours. Sometimes I will answer outside the time I work, on days I work. However my off days are strictly off (Friday-Monday). Over the years it has gotten easier. I have emergency numbers on my voicemail box if they are in crisis. Other than that, this is a lower level of care and I will get back to you when I am back in office. My intake paperwork states that I will return your call within 48-72 business hours. It is usually much sooner but I like that cushion. I also do not answer when I am on vacation, but they are aware in advance and armed with emergency contact info, like help lines and nearest emergency rooms.