You Don’t Have to Wait Until New Years to Make Changes

7:42 exactly, and you are out the door trying to get ahead of the school drop-off traffic. Round 1 done, and then off to the races for the second school drop off of the day. By 8:15, you feel like you have conquered the world and smile at yourself that you have enough time to have your coffee and catch up on Instagram before your first client. But then...you get the text

“Mom, I left my homework on the table. Can you drop it off, please?”

You put your coffee back on the counter, sigh, say, "That's annoying" to no one in particular, and back to the middle school you go.

Remember when you worked for someone else, and you had to be in the office at 9:00? Every minute counted, and you didn’t have time for errors or oopsies. You’d feel guilty if you had to be late to work, and would also feel guilty if you couldn’t help your kid out. No win either way.

But now, as a therapist, you are the boss. Is starting your day with hustle working for you?

Source: Hamish Weir/Upsplash/Used With Permission

The earliest I will see a client is 10:00 a.m. I like to have my coffee. I like to work out and indulge in a little mindless scrolling before I start my day. I intentionally give myself a buffer to be able to do the things I want… but also to give wiggle room to help my kids when they inevitably forget something.

What is working for you and your schedule, and what is not?

• Do you need a buffer in the morning?
• Are you feeling good or bad about the long hours five days a week?
• How do you feel scheduling clients at 6:00, 7:00, or 8:00 p.m.?
• How many clients a day is too many?
• Have you given yourself time for lunch, notes, or even just to rest and reset?

Are you someone who has made a New Year's resolution to make changes in your practice?

To be quite honest, New Year's resolutions are just silly if you ask me. Why would you want to wait until January 1st to start doing the things you probably should have started months ago?

I am pretty sure no one commits to being a real jerk, eating only McDonalds, or living a completely sedentary lifestyle. Most New Year's resolutions are about making your life better. Why would you want to wait?

I’ve made a lot of tweaks in my schedule and structure so that my life will be better and I can actually enjoy it. Things like allowing for a buffer in the morning, a scheduled time for lunch, and not seeing clients after 5 p.m. because I get tired and then frustrated by feeling tired. Most importantly, I'm making conscious decisions about when I say yes and when I say no. I only want to say yes to the things that are a hell yeah. And I'm saying no when something doesn’t work for me or doesn’t feel right. Running my practice on my terms feels SO much better and more sustainable. Can you imagine future you who has created the schedule of your dreams? How amazing does that feel?

What changes do you need to make to feel centered, grounded, and, quite frankly, less exhausted?

How would your life improve if you only worked the hours that worked for you?

You're no longer working for someone else dictating what your hours need to be. You are the boss and you get to decide what kind of schedule works for you and your lifestyle.

Take Control of Your Practice will be opening up in January to help you set (and reach) goals for your practice that are aligned with your values, wants and priorities.