Getting Things Done

Running a successful private practice relies on one thing: getting things done. Thoughts, prayers, wishes… all are great in their own right. But as Thomas Edison (probably) once said “a vision without execution is just a hallucination.”

Starting a practice can feel daunting. (We at Simply Psych can take care of that for you!) Maintaining it can be a beast. But here are three tips to getting things done:

1) If you can’t complete something within two minutes, then you should defer, delegate, or delete it. In his book Getting Things Done, David Allen suggests a two-minute rule.  We find this to be super helpful to keep you from wallowing or languishing (read more about what that means here). Building momentum is everything when plowing through a checklist, and running a private practice feels a little like an infinite Möbius strip checklist.

2) Define what you’re doing. There are lots of different business strategies (Traction, Scaling Up, 3HAG Way.) Each has strengths and weaknesses, of which we won’t get into here. Moral of the story is to pick a system and stick with it. Each strategy will help you define what it is you’re doing and what your end goals are. Clarity and expectations are the frames that support a smooth running business. Taking the time to formulate and integrate is key, no matter how long it takes. The extra prep on the front end will set you up for success the rest of the way.

3) Keep walking. Winston Churchill once said that “if you’re going through hell, keep going.” The first year in practice is full of fun, excitement and thrills as you show the world who you are, your brand, your logo, your energy. (And the world needs you in it, doing what you love to do!) After the initial honeymoon phase, years two through five can be a boar: interests ebb and flow; life gets in the way, you find interest in other ventures. Keeping one foot in front of the next is a mantra that never fails to bring progress. Stay in it, and keep moving forward to bring your unique flare of mental healthcare to those that you treat.

It goes without saying that self-care should be paramount during these times (check out our self-care blog here) and remember that at Simply Psych, we’re happy to help you start AND maintain your practice. A big part of your practice is YOU! So don’t neglect yourself. Visit us at www.simplypsych.com to learn more!