Prioritize Boundaries Before You’re Overbooked
Your time is your business. Protect it like your practice depends on it—because it does.
When you’re just starting out in private practice, the temptation is real:
Say yes to everyone.
Open your schedule wide.
Prove you’re available, responsive, and “easy to work with.”
Boundaries aren’t something you set after you’re burned out.
They’re what prevent you from burning out in the first place.
The most successful, sustainable private practices are built by NPs who treat their time as sacred from the start.
Not after they hit capacity.
Not after the resentment builds.
Not after the 9th “quick question” message at 9:47 PM.
So if no one’s told you yet:
You get to choose how your practice feels.
And that starts by deciding, now, what you will and won’t make room for.
Ask Yourself: What Actually Feels Sustainable?
This isn’t about replicating a clinic schedule or copying what someone else is doing.
It’s about tuning in to your capacity—mentally, emotionally, and energetically—and building around that.
Start here:
1. How many patients a day feels good in your body?
Not what you could do.
What you can do while still thinking clearly, staying present, and not crashing afterward.
Is it 4? 6? 2?
There’s no “right” number, just an honest one.
2. What are your “off” hours, and do you honor them?
When do you want to stop checking your email?
Do you want a no-patient Friday?
Are weekends completely off-limits?
Write it down. Make it policy. Protect it like oxygen.
3. What’s your late/cancellation policy—and can you enforce it with compassion?
You’re allowed to charge for no-shows.
You’re allowed to require 24-hour notice.
You’re allowed to have clear guidelines—and still be warm, kind, and trauma-informed.
Compassion ≠ codependence. Boundaries create safety for you too.
Boundaries Are a Business Tool
A lot of new NPs associate boundaries with being “mean” or “rigid.”
But in private practice, boundaries are actually a sign of leadership.
They show your clients, and yourself, that your time has value.
That your work has structure.
That your wellness matters.
Every policy you put in place protects your energy, your practice, and the quality of care you’re able to give.
It’s not about being strict.
It’s about being clear.
Write It Down. Enforce It. That’s Leadership.
If you’re in the early stages of practice and feeling unsure about when to start enforcing boundaries, this is your permission slip.
You don’t have to earn the right to set limits.
Start now.
Before you’re overwhelmed.
Before your calendar fills with “just one more” appointments.
Before your Sundays start disappearing into catch-up charts and reschedules.
Write your policies down.
Communicate them clearly.
Enforce them with kindness and confidence.
That’s not selfish.
That’s what sustainable practice leadership looks like.
P.S. The first step is often the hardest, but I’ve got you covered. If you want to accelerate your journey, join my mentorship program where we break down every step for you. Let’s make this year your year to launch!