Boundaries are both important and helpful. Yet many architectural practices haven’t intentionally set boundaries.
We intuitively know their value. We set boundaries for our children.
We’ll typically set boundaries around bad habits. Like how much TV we watch perhaps, how much we drink or what we eat.
Boundaries are useful. They create intentional constraints and make decisions easier. “No thanks. I won’t have another glass of red.”
By setting boundaries you establish what can and can’t be done by your colleagues, clients or your architectural practice.
“What you allow, you encourage.”
Michael Josephson
We often think we have boundaries, but unless we’ve written them down, and been intentional in considering them, the chances are we’ll allow them to be exceeded by someone or even by ourselves.
Why set boundaries?
Clarity
Taking the time to think about your boundaries is a useful exercise in gaining clarity around what you choose to do or not do.
It’s likely you’ve spent time thinking about what you’d like to do. You may have even had passing thoughts as to what you wouldn’t do, but not taken the time to go deeper. By deciding what you don’t want or aren’t willing to accept, you will generally gain greater clarity on what you would do or allow.
Wellbeing
Being very clear on acceptable behaviours allows you to safeguard your wellbeing. This means putting constraints around your time, energy, purpose and values. Each of which is important in maintaining wellbeing.
Time saving
One of the best ways to guard your time is to set boundaries around it. It’s an asset don’t let people steal it from you.
Decision making and evaluation
Sometimes a decision we need to make is a simple yes or no. Saying no is often hard, as we don’t like to disappoint. Boundaries provide both a tool to evaluate whether the answer is a yes or no, as well as a reason why. Boundaries help us to say ‘no’. This might, for example, include a simple checklist of criteria against which potential new projects might be assessed. Failing any criteria might be enough not to take it on.
Decisions can be more complex than a simple checklist. You may, nevertheless, have set boundaries around values, goals or ways of working. These boundaries allow for a more coherent and thoughtful decision making process for any aspect of your practice’s work.
The gift of constraints
Constraints are a gift for the all the reasons above. It’s just a reminder. They’re a gift because they make the space to focus on our work. The work we really want to be doing. The work that’s important to us.
Boundaries relevant to architectural practice
It’s quite possible you already have boundaries, clearly articulated or otherwise. You might not have written them down, however, in which case you should do so. It’s easy to fool yourself about where they lie unless they’re written. If they’re not written they don’t exist. Writing is like building a fence or a wall, it helps you to see where the boundary exists.
Time
Most architects don’t have enough time. There are two aspects of time to consider, the time you have to do your work and what you choose to do with your time. I’ve written a whole post on time management: How architects can find more time.
Types of projects
Be clear on what projects you do and, in particular, don’t do. It makes your marketing and who you’re for so much clearer to your clients. You waste less time on the clients who are not for you and spend more time on developing expertise and your unique identity. I know this is a point of conjecture for some architects. Most architects want to work on a variety of projects and don’t want to limit themselves. (It’s a discussion for another time.)
Values and goals
They don’t necessarily go hand in hand, but I’ve lumped them together for convenience.
Knowing what your practice values and goals are is important. They set boundaries around how you work, what you choose to do and how you do it. They determine the direction you want to take and give you a clear set of guidelines for developing and shaping your practice.
Priorities
Not a million miles from “Values and goals”. If something’s not a priority for the practice, dismiss it.
Behaviour
We probably all have an idea about what behaviour we think is unacceptable. Always worthwhile having it spelt out. Writing it down for the office and everyone that you might be working with, clients, consultants and so on.
Ways of working
In the covid years of greater flexibility and work from home, it’s increasingly important for practices to be clear on boundaries around how the office works. It might include considerations around communication, meetings, work hours (when and gross hours), software platforms, and so on.
Setting and maintaining boundaries
Publish
To begin with an example: your scope of work is a boundary for your client. Where else may scopes of work, or boundaries apply and written?
Your Client Agreement might also include work hours, phone times and availability, meeting scheduling and hours, communications platforms, and so on. Set client boundaries from the outset and have them written into your contract, ie Agreement, with them.
Ensure all boundaries relevant to members of your practice are written in their contracts and an office ‘procedural manual’. A manual that might also include templates, checklists and clearly defined values and goals. You could also block out time in your personal calendar, or the office calendar. Blocks allocated to particular tasks, to be kept free of any imposition on or interruption to that task, eg design time, admin time, etc.
Automate
Automation is the best way to ensure boundaries are met. This might include having a booking system for meetings that limits the length as well as the timing. Phones can be programmed to go into “Do not disturb” modes. People could be shut out of the practice file server in holiday periods, so they can’t access email, projects and the like. There are many possibilities in automation, find what suits.
Accountability
Accountability is often the strongest motivator for maintaining boundaries. The accountability might come from within or without the office. I would suggest, for example, using a coach or advisory board to assist with this.
Keep in mind
Incompatibility
It’s important to note that you won’t always get your own way. Sometimes, your boundaries will be incompatible with the needs of the people around you.
Management
Manage and negotiate expectations around boundaries. When expectations aren’t clearly defined, understood or agreed upon, it causes stress for all concerned.
Clear is kind
Be clear and concise. When we communicate honestly and clearly, we’re leaving no uncertainty behind our intention and our meaning.
Consistency
Consistency is a huge part of setting boundaries at work. If you chop and change your position frequently, people won’t learn.
They need to work for you
If they don’t work for you won’t keep them.
They’re there for your benefit.
Design them to be. They shouldn’t be a constant hindrance.
Maintenance
if we continually exceed boundaries them or allow them to be, they’re not a boundary. They’re simply a mirage.
You can move your boundaries
It is OK to change your mind. But do not use that as an excuse not to maintain firm boundaries.
Be clear on what is a non-negotiable and stick to it.
A final question & insight
“What’s one decision you can make today that will save you from making ten more decisions in the future? Make the choice that eliminates other choices.”
James Clear
Photo by Andrew Levytskyi [edited and cropped]
