You know how sleep debt is a thing? I currently have about eight hours of it from my trip in Italy, and it got me thinking about how businesses can accumulate operational debt, too. Those little operational issues that seem manageable on their own can start adding up and impacting the way your business functions. Here’s how to recognize it, pinpoint the root cause, and address it before it continues to pile up.

Not putting boundaries in place as a service provider or freelancer is a fast track to burnout. I learned this one the hard way. From being available all the time to taking on work outside my scope, I eventually realized that the way I was running my business wasn’t sustainable. Here’s what changed when I started treating boundaries as part of how I actually operate my business.