When I first started freelancing, I thought being “helpful” meant saying yes to everything.
“Yes, I can add that.”
“Yes, I’ll squeeze that in.”
“Yes, no problem.”
But every “yes” without boundaries turned out to be a silent no — no to my own time, no to my health, no to my focus.
And that’s how I learned the hard way: scope creep is real.
The Truth About Boundaries
A lot of devs, especially when we’re just starting out, fear that setting boundaries will scare clients away. We think if we speak up, they’ll run to the next freelancer who’s “more flexible.”
But here’s the reality I’ve discovered:
- Boundaries don’t make you rigid — they make you reliable.
- Clear agreements don’t push serious clients away — they attract them.
- Saying “this will cost extra” isn’t being difficult — it’s being professional.
The clients who run when you set boundaries are the same ones who were going to drain you anyway.
My Guardrails Now
These days, I don’t start any project without three simple things:
✔️ A written agreement (even if it’s just a simple contract)
✔️ A clear scope — what’s included, what’s not
✔️ A plan for how extras will be handled (because there will always be extras)
This doesn’t just protect me; it actually makes the project smoother for the client. Everyone knows what to expect, and trust grows from that clarity.
A Note to Nigerian Developers
In our ecosystem (where clients sometimes expect magic for peanuts 🥲), it’s even more important to set these boundaries. Because if we don’t value our time, skills, and sanity, no one else will.
Boundaries aren’t walls. They’re guardrails. They keep both you and the client safe on the road to a successful project.
Final Word
To my fellow devs: set your boundaries early. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.
👉 What’s one boundary you wish you set earlier in your career? Drop it in the comments — maybe another dev will learn from your story.
Top comments (1)
the boundary i wish i'd set earlier: defined communication windows.
early in freelancing, i treated "remote work" like "always available work". client texts at 11pm? answered. weekend slack message? responded immediately.
taught clients i had no off switch.
the breaking point: client once messaged "quick question" at 2am about changing a button color. wasn't urgent. wasn't blocking. just... expected instant access.
realized i'd trained them wrong.
my communication boundary now:
business hours communication only (defined in contract). emergency contact protocol for actual emergencies (production down = emergency. "can we make this blue instead of green" = not emergency).
the pushback i feared? never came. serious clients respect schedules. the ones who don't respect boundaries aren't the ones you want long-term anyway.
your "silent no" concept hit hard. every time we say yes to off-hours requests, we're saying no to our health, relationships, and honestly... to doing better work during actual work hours.
boundaries = professionalism, not rigidity. this post nails it.