Recently, a family member asked me to do some free creative work for them, and I was very happy to help. They were genuinely grateful, and it felt nice. However, that situation made me think about setting boundaries with those who would request such work but are unwilling to pay. Over the years, I’ve had too many instances where friends and family would ask for creative services without offering any sort of compensation. Even more surprising, many act as if somehow, asking me to do a non-paying project is a favor to me, with comments like “think of the exposure,” “you should be grateful I asked,” and “It will only take you 5 minutes.” Such a lack of consideration makes me reluctant to do anything for anyone. The takeaway? Protect your time. Protect your mental health. Protect your integrity. Protect the investment you’ve made in yourself. I would bet that investment was not free.

“Sure, while I design this for you for free, can you wash my toilet for free too? Like you said, it’s easy.”