“Can you just update this real quick?” and other dangerously polite client requests

It always starts the same. A short message. Friendly. Innocent.

“Hey! Quick one — can you just fix that sentence on the homepage?”

It takes 2 minutes, right? You’re already logged in. You know where to find it. What’s the big deal?

Here’s the deal: it’s never just one sentence. And it’s never just one client.

Death by a thousand tiny tasks

Every freelancer knows this slow bleed. The slow accumulation of 2-minute favors that quietly consume your mornings. Or worse: break your flow mid-afternoon.

Here are a few classics from the Hall of Fame:

• “Can you just swap this image?” (requires cropping, optimizing, and re-uploading)
• “Can you just make that button more visible?” (hello, design rabbit hole)
• “Can you just check why this link isn’t working?” (it’s hosted on another planet)
• “Can you just resend the invoice?” (from last year, naturally)

Individually, these are harmless. Together, they’re death by scope creep.

The polite trap

What makes it tricky is that these requests are never aggressive. They’re friendly. Casual. Wrapped in “just” and “quick.”

And if you say no? You feel like the bad guy. The inflexible one. The “it’s not my job” person.

So what do you do?

You build systems, not boundaries. That’s the key.

Instead of saying “I don’t do that,” you say:

• “I’ve set you up with Editly, so you can edit your texts anytime — no need to wait on me.”
• “That kind of tweak is included in the support plan — I’ll send you the link.”
• “You’ve got 30 minutes of edits per month, and this would take 10 — shall I go ahead?”

It’s not about being rigid. It’s about being sane.

Your role isn’t to say yes to everything. It’s to help your client grow — by being clear, helpful, and professional.

That means equipping them with tools like Editly for safe, independent updates. It means framing your support in clear terms. And it means valuing your time — so they do too.

What to offer instead of “quick favors”

• A content editor role with limited access
• A 1h/month support tier included in maintenance
• A prepaid support block for ad hoc changes
• A client guide with “how to do it yourself” steps
• Or… no edits at all — if that’s your model. That’s fine too.

“Just one more thing…” is never just one more thing

So next time you hear it, take a breath. Smile. And redirect the conversation — kindly, but firmly — toward a system that works for both of you.

You’re not the “quick fix” person. You’re the pro who built the site. Let’s act like it.