Comments on: Setting Boundaries on Burnout http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/ Working To Live Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:04:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Nathan Smith http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/comment-page-1/#comment-621 Nathan Smith Mon, 22 Aug 2005 02:19:31 +0000 http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/#comment-621 Steve, that's true. I should clarify that not each and every church I've worked with are slow on delivering content. For the most part, it's like you said - clients that want to get online are ready with their message. I just thought I would share some of my experiences (and my own mistakes), to help others avoid burnout. Here's a good article on client deliverables... http://www.yourtotalsite.com/archives/methodology_tools/client_deliverables/ Steve, that’s true. I should clarify that not each and every church I’ve worked with are slow on delivering content. For the most part, it’s like you said – clients that want to get online are ready with their message. I just thought I would share some of my experiences (and my own mistakes), to help others avoid burnout.

Here’s a good article on client deliverables…
http://www.yourtotalsite.com/a.....iverables/

]]> By: Steve Clancy http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/comment-page-1/#comment-620 Steve Clancy Sun, 21 Aug 2005 13:32:28 +0000 http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/#comment-620 I agree with a lot of what you're saying, because I have had some experience dealing with small clients who want to get on the web. I think in most cases though, these people always have content they can be posting - it's just a matter of getting them to deliver it. With your church example, surely you could be posting Sunday bulletins and mass schedules on the site. You just need to get them to the point where they are willing to do this. I agree with a lot of what you’re saying, because I have had some experience dealing with small clients who want to get on the web. I think in most cases though, these people always have content they can be posting – it’s just a matter of getting them to deliver it. With your church example, surely you could be posting Sunday bulletins and mass schedules on the site. You just need to get them to the point where they are willing to do this.

]]> By: Mike Rohde http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/comment-page-1/#comment-618 Mike Rohde Sun, 21 Aug 2005 05:28:26 +0000 http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/#comment-618 Nice article Nathan — a good reminder about why designers design things — to communicate. :-) Nice article Nathan — a good reminder about why designers design things — to communicate. :-)

]]> By: Nathan Smith http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/comment-page-1/#comment-610 Nathan Smith Fri, 19 Aug 2005 22:03:27 +0000 http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/#comment-610 If you're not interested in the job because there's something lacking in the vision of what they want to do, then I would just explain that plainly to them. Just because you don't say "yes" right away doesn't make you a mean person. In fact, it is to their benefit that they have something interesting on their site when it is created. I would just tell them that while you want to help them, there is really just not enough to go on. Often times, if they are pretty sure about wanting to hire you (as opposed to just get a site done), they will provide you with more content. The problem I've run into is that I will tell a client that they need more content to go on, and they will promise to write it concurrently as the site is being worked on, only to have them never finish the content. If for some reason the project simply does not interest you, there's nothing wrong with saying that either. For instance, I had someone contact me about doing 80 blog designs for a network of blogs. Without going into great detail, the premise of the email was to crank them out one after the other. I did my best to explain to the individual that what I try to focus on is quality and not quantity, and because of that it did not really appeal to me. This mass-production mentality didn't really jive with me, something in my gut just told me it would too labor intensive for the amount of time I had to spend. Additionally, the timetable / budget seemed to be a bit stringent. I think in this case, it was the "get-rich-quick" mentality that was the primary motive, aka Blog = Money, without really considering the initial investment necessary to launch an entire network from nothing. If you’re not interested in the job because there’s something lacking in the vision of what they want to do, then I would just explain that plainly to them. Just because you don’t say “yes” right away doesn’t make you a mean person. In fact, it is to their benefit that they have something interesting on their site when it is created.

I would just tell them that while you want to help them, there is really just not enough to go on. Often times, if they are pretty sure about wanting to hire you (as opposed to just get a site done), they will provide you with more content. The problem I’ve run into is that I will tell a client that they need more content to go on, and they will promise to write it concurrently as the site is being worked on, only to have them never finish the content.

If for some reason the project simply does not interest you, there’s nothing wrong with saying that either. For instance, I had someone contact me about doing 80 blog designs for a network of blogs. Without going into great detail, the premise of the email was to crank them out one after the other. I did my best to explain to the individual that what I try to focus on is quality and not quantity, and because of that it did not really appeal to me.

This mass-production mentality didn’t really jive with me, something in my gut just told me it would too labor intensive for the amount of time I had to spend. Additionally, the timetable / budget seemed to be a bit stringent. I think in this case, it was the “get-rich-quick” mentality that was the primary motive, aka Blog = Money, without really considering the initial investment necessary to launch an entire network from nothing.

]]> By: Jesse Bennett-Chamberlain http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/comment-page-1/#comment-607 Jesse Bennett-Chamberlain Fri, 19 Aug 2005 19:50:40 +0000 http://www.to-done.com/2005/08/setting-boundaries-on-burnout/#comment-607 Quote: ----- <strong>This is why I would propose, that in order to help protect both yourself and your client's time investment (and sanity), that you not be afraid to just say a flat-out “No” to potential website projects.</strong> ----- Any advice on how to do this tactfully? I get many requests for jobs that I'm just not interested in and have a hard time saying no because I'm just not sure how to tell them. Quote:
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This is why I would propose, that in order to help protect both yourself and your client’s time investment (and sanity), that you not be afraid to just say a flat-out “No” to potential website projects.
—–

Any advice on how to do this tactfully? I get many requests for jobs that I’m just not interested in and have a hard time saying no because I’m just not sure how to tell them.

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