I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a lot of private practice owners over the years.
Owners who are working hard to grow their business and get more patients into their practice.
And one topic that comes up a lot in these conversations is the frustration many owners experience when they try to get “everything” done and end up feeling overwhelmed.
Overwhelm.
We’ve all been there.
But how do you get out?
In this article, I want to want to cover in how you can handle overwhelm…think of it as your go to guide whenever you’re feeling stuck and alone.
What’s Your Vision?
Owning your own Physical Therapy practice is no joke.
You’ve got fires to put out, patients to treat, employees to manage, and a to-do list that seems to multiply faster than a pair of rabbits.
Some days everything goes well. You get a lot done, stuff runs smoothly, and you feel like you’re making some real progress on building the business and the life you want.
Other days…not so much.
You know, those days where you wish you could call in sick and spend the day in bed. Where even the simplest task seems too daunting. You feel stuck. Buried.
In other words, overwhelmed.
So, why do you do it?
That’s not a rhetorical question. What’s your motivation for owning your own business? What is the vision you have for the future that you’re working towards each day?
I’d suggest spending some time thinking about these questions and, more importantly, writing the answers down.
Then, taking 5 minutes each day to review what you’ve written.
Don’t dismiss this advice. It’s vital not just for overcoming overwhelm but for helping you actually make your vision a reality.
No, it’s not magic. There’s still work involved.
But what this gives you is a North Star that you can always rely on for guidance. And when the feelings of overwhelm come, you can take a moment and remind yourself what all this hard work is for.
This is something we have at Breakthrough Physical Therapy Marketing. Our vision is to “Flip the Pyramid,” which I’ll review below.
Flipping the Pyramid and Improving PT Marketing
The current healthcare system is sick.
You may have heard me speak about this before…recent numbers show $3.3 Trillion dollars (Trillion with a CAPITAL “T”) is spent in the US on Healthcare.
Ouch.
That’s $10,300 per person per year.
Are we the healthiest country in the world?
Not close. (We’re not in the Top 10).
So we spend twice as much per person compared to every other country in the world, yet we are less healthy, more sick.
What gives?
If you look at where that $3.3 Trillion is spent, 72% goes to Physicians and Hospital Systems.
PT? 2%. And that includes ALL PT.
Money is going to invasive care: medications, injections, surgery.
Often times this leads to comorbidities and ultimately higher healthcare expenses.
In spite of what certain healthcare companies will claim in their Public Relations – promoting health and wellness – the numbers indicate otherwise.
As PTs and Physios, we are at the bottom of the totem pole.
Our $990 Plans of Care are relatively inexpensive compared to the costs of surgeries and injections, let alone the long-term costs of medications.
Yet per dollar, we provide some of the most significant outcomes in healthcare.
We help people get healthier…naturally.
Flipping the Pyramid is about making Physical Therapy and conservative care the forefront of healthcare. Specifically, musculoskeletal treatment.
Ultimately, we will be fulfilling the promises of many politicians (who’ve failed repeatedly) who’ve claimed they will lower costs and help people live healthier…
And we’re going to do it by going direct to the consumer.
Not relying on a major insurer, outside network or other entity to save us.
It’s going to be an army of marketing direct to consumer (Direct Access Marketing) and providing a high quality of care helping people get back to normal naturally.
More Patients, More Problems: The Step After Marketing Direct to Consumer
Most of us assume we have a Marketing Problem.
That is the first problem, but it doesn’t stop there.
Once we implement Breakthrough Marketing Systems (think Green Ink Letter, GPE, Workshops), we quickly discover we have Personnel, Finance, and Operations problems as well.
Yikes.
It can be overwhelming to level up all of those areas at once.
(I know – you thought it was going to get easier once you solved your New Patient Problem and weren’t relying on physician referrals, right?!)
One of the first emotions we can feel is overwhelm…
Well, after reviewing your vision/goals, here’s a formula for dealing directly with overwhelm.
The Work-My-Way Out of Overwhelm Formula
Next time you feel overwhelmed, and/or alone…here’s what to do:
Set a timer for 10 minutes.
Write out everything you’re trying to accomplish.
Circle the 3 most important items which will move you closer to your biggest goal(s).
Now ONLY work on #1, until #1 is done.
Avoid working on anything else until #1 is completed.
Then move on to #2.
I’ve done this (or some form of it) for years – like 18 years.
It works. Particular when combined with your North Star vision. That will help you with steps 2 and 3 in the process.
It may sound too simple…but #1 isn’t that a good thing when you’re feeling overwhelmed? And #2, simple does not equal easy.
It will be hard to tune out the noise, the tiny issues, and all the things you could be doing to zero in and focus on the items you should be working on.
The power in this is two-fold, not only are you forcing yourself to focus on what really matters, but you also get the luxury of experiencing completion.
I bet there is a time in the past where you CRUSHED it productivity-wise but still felt like you didn’t make the most out of your time.
That’s because it doesn’t matter if you cross off 50 to-dos when your list has 100+ items on it.
50/100…that’s an F. And a quick path to overwhelm and burnout.
Instead, follow the formula above. Simplify, focus, and finally overcome overwhelm.
If yore interested in more information on our PT Marketing Services or Free Direct Access Marketing Courses please contact us here.
