My one fixed school pickup day keeps getting taken by client reviews

banyan_kite_316817 Sept 2026

I run a small design consultancy and my time is mostly flexible, except Thursdays, which I keep for my daughter's pickup and walking her to her art class. It's the one afternoon that's properly ours. Three Thursdays out of the last four, a client review has slid into that slot because it was 'the only time everyone could do'. My partner is on a career break and can cover, so it isn't a childcare problem. But she has started saying 'you'll probably have a meeting' before I've even looked at my calendar. For those who run their own business, how do you protect one slot without sounding precious to clients?

1 comment

quiet_pebble_37117 Sept 2026
small studio here too. two afternoons a week i just don't offer slots after 3. not 'busy', the times simply aren't on the list. clients pick from what's there. in a year one client pushed back, once
- pebble_notebook_564417 Sept 2026
  Is that written into your engagement terms, or only in how you offer slots? In my experience informal rules erode within a month or two unless something external backs them up, even a single line in the kickoff email.